AfterDawn: News

RIM to block sideloading apps to stop piracy

RIM will soon remove the ability to sideload apps on the BlackBerry Playbook in an effort to block piracy.

The future firmware update to the operating system will block all installation of apps not directly from the BlackBerry App World.



BlackBerry VP of Developer Relations, Alec Saunders, tweeted "piracy is a huge problem for Android devs, and we don't want to duplicate the chaotic cesspool of Android market" in response to a question about the update.

Saunders did note there would probably be a solution for devs who need to test their apps.

The exec also claimed that some developers have refused to work with RIM until sideloading is banned.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Apr 2012 22:37

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• 10 comments

• Bozobub

  A transparent ploy to try to close the gate, now that the horse is gone. Sorry, RIM, you're no Apple, and you don't have enough apps in your walled garden.

  9.4.2012 22:52 #1

• KillerBug

  Don't worry rim...you couldn't come close to duplicating Android if you tried. Still, I have to support you in you efforts to make your products even less useful...that is quite a feat.
  

  
  

  10.4.2012 13:59 #2

• jerry53 (unverified)

  I really hope rim goes under after this incident we bought the playbook because we didnt want the apple ipad but something different with the added functionality of using android apps in a sandbox thats the reason why half a million playbooks were sold last quarter ,if they really dont want any more sales of playbooks and thousands of lawsuits in their hands i would recommend them to remove sideloading but if rim wants to sell more playbooks it must fire alec saunders.

  10.4.2012 14:10 #3

• ThePastor

  Final nail in coffin.
  When will these people learn?
  

  "But the bigger point here is that UMG has effectively admitted this takedown was never about copyright. They demanded YouTube censor Megaupload and justify that by saying they have a contract which allows it so its fine. Its painfully clear what they would do with a law like SOPA that gives them much more power"

  10.4.2012 14:30 #4

• dodger5

  Originally posted by ThePastor: Final nail in coffin.
  When will these people learn? They won't, R.I.P. RIM
  

  Keep your head up, keep alert, and don't let them take you by suprise.

  10.4.2012 17:57 #5

• Taalen

  It's like Nokia and RIM are trying to beat each other to bankruptcy.

  10.4.2012 18:53 #6

• nghia7

  RIM is planning to disable support for sideloaded apps on its BlackBerry PlayBook with a forthcoming update. The company’s vice president of Developer Relations, Alec Saunders, made the announcement via Twitter, saying that the move was to avoid the rampant piracy of apps, or in his words, the "chaotic cesspool of the Android Market."
  
  Officially supported Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook were introduced with the PlayBook OS 2.0 update back in February, but the selection is still limited. Users wanting apps not yet available through the BlackBerry App World have been able to sideload the apps to their PlayBook through software on their computer...

  11.4.2012 03:24 #7

• hearme0

  Yeah........real smart RIM!!!! NOT!
  
  You should be trying everything possible to GET PEOPLE to want your phones. RIM will be bankrupt by 2022

  11.4.2012 14:41 #8

• graystroke

  could someone explain to a none techie how the hell does one pirate an apps i mean I'm really that clueless.....I've never read this to be an issue on the crackberry forums so this to me is just a head turner making me HUH????? WTH.....????
  

  13.4.2012 10:39 #9

• graystroke

  no longer true: http://forums.crackberry.com/showthread...d=1#post7314832
  

  13.4.2012 10:42 #10