BlackBerry is having a tough comeback and it's only getting tougher, as major third-party app makers publicly state they have no plans to create a BlackBerry 10 app.
For a platform to be successful and attract users, having a solid app library is key. If the apps are there, they will come. Unfortunately for BlackBerry, it's not getting the support it needs from major companies who are letting it be known that there are no plans to create a version of its software for BlackBerry 10. First it was Instagram, and now Netflix is the latest high-profile company to publicly announce that it has no current plans for a BlackBerry app.
When speaking to AllThingsD, a Netflix spokesman said: "We have no current plans for a BlackBerry app."
Netflix declined to give a reason for its statement to AllThingsD, but it's pretty apparent that Netflix does not want to spend money on developing software for a platform that still hasn't proven to be widely used enough to to warrant an app. Netflix currently provides apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. BlackBerry for the time being will have to hope that enough consumers buy their new BlackBerry Z10 and upcoming BlackBerry Q10 to make a company like Netflix take notice and announce support; for now it'll have to lead a Netflix-less existence.
If sales are good, Netflix and others will feel more compelled to spend the money developing a native application for BlackBerry's new mobile platform. It's pretty surprising that BlackBerry didn't get make deals with companies that make the most popular cross-platform apps, but BlackBerry isn't known to be great at planning things. BlackBerry 10 was delayed, which caused many BlackBerry users to leave the platform and choose smartphones running Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems.
A spokesman from BlackBerry recently said it was in talks with Instagram and Netflix to create apps for BlackBerry 10, but that doesn't appear to be the case, as both companies have stated it has no plans on creating a BlackBerry app. This sounds like BlackBerry trying to do some damage control, knowing it needs these kinds of apps to attract customers to its new smartphones. Is this a sign that BlackBerry is seeing the beginning of the end of its comeback? Let us know in the comments.
(Edited by Lois Heyman)
