Is Google Play headed to BlackBerry smartphones?
Unfortunately, no.
Pictures of a BlackBerry Z10 running Android’s app store, Google Play, popped up on Friday in CrackBerry’s forum, igniting speculation that the two companies were working together to potentially bring Android apps into the BlackBerry ecosystem.
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BlackBerry, however, dismissed the rumor as nothing but hot air.
“I can confirm that there is no planned support for Google Play on BlackBerry,” a BlackBerry representative told CNET.
BlackBerry nabbing Google Play would have been a major coup, and would have plugged a major hole for the platform. One of the biggest knocks on BlackBerry 10 has been the lack of key popular apps found on Android and iOS — it’s a big reason many are reluctant to make the switch and why the operating system never took off with most consumers.
The notion of Google Play and Android apps popping up on BlackBerry 10 had briefly given BlackBerry fans some hope. But alas, that is not the case.
BlackBerry is attempting another turnaround, this time under interim CEO John Chen and with a greater focus on large businesses and power users.