Android Dominates the Tablet Market in 2013 Q2

Strategy Analytics: Android Dominates the Tablet Market in 2013 Q2 with 67 Percent Share of Global Tablet Shipments. 


According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global tablet shipments reached 51.7 million units in the second quarter of 2013.  Android secured a robust 67 percent global share, while Apple iOS declined further to 28 percent.  Windows also fell back but secured a 4.5 percent global share. 

Peter King, Director of Tablets at Strategy Analytics, said, "Global Branded Tablet shipments reached 36.2 million units in Q2 2013, up 47 percent from 24.6 million in Q2 2012.  The branded Tablet market had a rest period as very few new products came to market during the quarter.  When we add in White-Box Tablets, shipments reached 51.7 million units, up 43 percent from 36.1 million in Q2 2012.  Android is now making steady progress due to hardware partners like Samsung, Amazon, Google and White-Box tablets which, despite the fact that branded OEMs are lowering price-points and putting pressure on the White-Box manufacturers, are still performing well," King added, "Apple iOS shipments were 14.6 million iPads in Q2 2013 which declined 14 percent annually.  In the same quarter a year ago the first Retina display iPads were launched which could partly explain the decline as there were no new models in this quarter.  However, to compensate that, iPad Mini which was not available a year ago, now freely available was expected to take the figure higher than 14.6 million."  

Other findings from the research include: 

• Microsoft captured a niche 4.5 percent global tablet share in Q2 2013.  There may be an uptick in Windows RT shipments in Q3 following savage price cuts by all the partners still involved in the RT Market.  Microsoft has reduced prices by $150 and other vendors even more; they are still not cheap, but are much more where they should be to compete.  The shortage of apps continues to be a problem, with seemingly little incentive for developers to work on the platform.

Exhibit 1:  Global Tablet Operating System Shipments and Market Share in Q2 2013 (preliminary) 1

The full report, Global Tablet OS Market Share: Q2 2013, is published by the Strategy AnalyticsTablet & Touchscreen (TTS) service. 

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1.  A white-box tablet is a product produced by one company (the manufacturer or ODM) that other companies (the vendors or OEMs) rebrand to make it appear as if they made it.  White box tablets invariably use different components to branded tablet in order to keep costs to a minimum.

1.  Shipments refer to sell-in.  Numbers are rounded.  The definition of tablet does not include e-book readers or convertible PCs.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Continues to Gain Momentum in North America

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced a number of North American enterprises  across a diverse range of sectors, including high tech, banking, retail and government that have adopted BlackBerry® 10 and BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 as part of their mobile strategy. The growing number of organizations testing, adopting or reaffirming commitment to BlackBerry as their Enterprise Mobility Management solution, include: Canadian Tire Corporation, ING DIRECT, Ingram Micro, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Ricoh Canada and Torys LLP.

Enterprise Momentum

Toufik Zigha, IT Manager of the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT) confirmed that, "The City of New York DOITT intends to deploy 2,000 BlackBerry 10 smartphones by this summer and views BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 as a key component to our enterprise mobility strategy."

Similarly, BMO Financial Group, a leading Canadian financial organization that serves more than 12 million personal, commercial, corporate and institutional customers in North America and internationally, endorsed BlackBerry 10 as their platform of choice.

“We are placing BlackBerry 10 orders with our North American carriers,” said Claudette McGowan, Vice President, Digital Workspace Services, BMO Financial Group.  “BlackBerry remains our enterprise standard and we've begun deploying within our environment.”

BlackBerry support also remains extremely strong among organizations that must balance both employee demands and complex business requirements. “As a CIO, I know that when I give my employees a BlackBerry smartphone, everything is going to work with limited effort required by our IT administrators,” said Nigel Carpenter, Chief Information Officer, Canadian Diabetes Association. “For me, when it comes down to core business functionality, it’s a no brainer that BlackBerry is the only way to go.”

BlackBerry 10 is a robust and reliable platform that is smooth and responsive. It features a modern design and a gesture-based interface that is highly discoverable and designed to support, learn and adapt to the way you work. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 builds on more than a decade of BlackBerry enterprise mobility management expertise, which is the most widely deployed mobility solution in enterprises today. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 offers mobile device management, mobile application management and secure mobile connectivity, and delivers a cost-efficient and reliable solution for business customers.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com

BlackBerry Announces BlackBerry Achievement Award Recipients

BlackBerry Live 2013, Orlando FL – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced today the recipients of this year’s BlackBerry Achievement Awards at BlackBerry® Live™ 2013.

The BlackBerry Achievement Awards are presented to organizations that are doing business in new and innovative ways with BlackBerry products and services. The awards were classified into five categories: App of the Year, Putting Customers First, Mobile Innovation of the Year, Making the World a Better Place, and Entrepreneur of the Year.

App of the Year Award

Winner: PriceCheck Pty Ltd -- PriceCheck Mobile for BlackBerry 10 takes shopping to a whole new level by using a BlackBerry 10 smartphone to do the legwork and price comparisons, so customers don't have to be near a computer or store. The app accesses pricing for more than 30 million products on sale through the Internet and online stores in South Africa. Built using HTML5 and JavaScript® source code, the app is wrapped with Cascades™ and uses some feature plug-ins.

Finalists:

Cooklet
Cine Hoyts


Putting Customers First

Winner: ING DIRECT Canada -- ING DIRECT offers today's financially conscious customers a unique mobile banking experience on their BlackBerry 10 smartphones. As well as making it convenient and secure to conduct transactions, the app focuses on increasing savings with "Orange Alerts" that push notifications to the BlackBerry® Hub when balances reach pre-determined levels. Other features such as "Small Sacrifices" encourage positive decisions about saving and financial information by sharing info through Facebook®, Twitter®, BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) and YouTube®.

Finalists:

·         MMMOOO

·         LoyaltyMatch Inc.

Mobile Innovation of the Year

Winner: DIRECTV -- As a large satellite TV provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, DIRECTV makes customer service for their five million customers a priority. Their app for BlackBerry smartphones allows their 4,000 technicians to manage an entire service call and work order process from their phones, and supports Bluetooth® technology to validate and adjust satellite signal strength. The app is helping DIRECTV improve customer satisfaction, reduce paperwork and technical calls, as well as decrease return visits to customer homes.

Finalists:

ippin (Refresh Mobile Ltd.)
WaytagO


Making the World a Better Place

Winner: e-Cycle LLC -- e-Cycle LLC has a simple, but meaningful mandate: offer enterprises a way to retire millions of mobile devices responsibly, by protecting data security, preserving the environment, and generating buyback revenue. As a recipient of e-Stewards® certification, e-Cycle is on the frontline of ensuring that harmful, toxic chemicals from mobile devices are not sent to landfills but are instead recycled safely. Their buyback program reimburses costs for devices that can have more value in the market, which offsets the costs of a company upgrading to new devices.

Finalists:

·         University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB)

·         Sussex Police

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Nobex Technologies Inc -- Many BlackBerry enthusiasts are familiar with Nobex Technologies' innovative mobile app that allows people to listen radio stations on the go and share the experience and chat with friends through BBM. Nobex Radio for BlackBerry 10 continues its inventiveness with a newly designed app. It adds podcast functionality that allows people to search and subscribe to thousands of podcasts, with notifications sent to the BlackBerry Hub when new episodes are available.

Finalists:

·         EducationApps Limited

·         SkyPark Café



For more information on the BlackBerry Achievement Awards program, please visit http://www.blackberrylive.com/special-programs/achievement-awards/

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Confirms BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Deployment

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) is currently deploying BlackBerry® 10 and BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the largest sheriff’s department in the nation, has tested the advanced mobile computing and communication features of BlackBerry 10 and is now deploying BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. “Technology is moving fast, and the BlackBerry 10 platform is a viable secure platform that can help us keep up,” said Commander Scott Edson of the Technical Services Division.  “I have personally tested devices on many smartphone operating systems and I think the BlackBerry 10 platform is a homerun.  It’s very secure right out of the box, a great benefit to government and business, and is designed to make your various communication methods more efficient.”

An existing BlackBerry customer, LASD employees throughout the organization typically use their BlackBerry smartphones for messaging, calendar, access to the Department’s intranet, and access to documents stored in a shared or private server.  A move to BlackBerry 10 leapfrogs the organization’s mobile computing capabilities giving users unmatched security with no compromise to their intuitive and efficient user experience.

The combination of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry® Balance™ technology gives employees the functionality and rich user experience they want, without compromising security.  “BlackBerry Balance offers our customers the most seamless and user friendly way to satisfy both user and corporate needs without compromising on either,” said Richard Piasentin, Vice President and Managing Director for the U.S. at BlackBerry.  “We’re pleased to provide innovative solutions to our customers - like BlackBerry Balance - to enable organizations to protect critical content and applications, while letting their users get the most out of their smartphone”.

BlackBerry 10 is a robust and reliable platform that is smooth and responsive. It has a modern design and a gesture-based interface that is highly discoverable. It is designed to support, learn, and adapt to the way you work.  BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 builds on more than a decade of the BlackBerry enterprise mobility management expertise. It offers mobile device management, mobile application management and secure mobile connectivity, and delivers a cost-efficient and reliable solution for business and government customers.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com

BlackBerry Launches Global Women’s Initiative

Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, Inaugurates BlackBerry Scholars Program – a multi-level strategy to engage young women across the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, launched the new BlackBerry Scholars Program, the first step in its global women’s initiative designed to inspire more women to enter and develop careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The program was unveiled at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Florida.

The BlackBerry Scholars Program will provide full, four-year tuition scholarships to outstanding women who are seeking degrees at accredited colleges and universities in the areas of STEM with a particular interest or aptitude in the area of mobile computing.  This scholarship program is the first step in BlackBerry’s long-term commitment and multi-tiered strategy to engage young women at every step of their education from high school to college, and as they rise through the workforce.

While significantly more women enroll and graduate college than men, only 25% of U.S. IT jobs are held by women, and 56% of these women eventually leave the field of technology for other careers. As more than 55% of BlackBerry customers are women, BlackBerry aims to champion this generation of female leaders as they strive to achieve their ambitions in this highly-competitive industry.

“Women are underrepresented in fields of science and technology, and we feel strongly that it’s time to drive a change,” said BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. “It’s important to connect the dots for young women in high school and college, and show them that careers in science and technology are within their reach. And when women do land these jobs, it’s vital they receive the mentoring and support they need to advance in their careers. I’m proud BlackBerry is demonstrating leadership in women’s education, both in school and in the workplace, and giving back to its most loyal users in such a profound way.”

In addition to providing full, four-year course tuition, BlackBerry will also offer mentorship and professional opportunities for each of the scholars. The scholars will be selected based on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry. A panel of inspirational and accomplished women, led by Alicia Keys, will choose the applicants from the pool of nominations submitted before the deadline of 5pm EDT on June 26, 2013.

For more information about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, please visit www.blackberry.com/scholars.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

BlackBerry Enables Secure Enterprise Instant Messaging on BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 supports secure instant messaging and collaboration with Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Office Communications Server and IBM Lotus Sametime

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) unveiled BlackBerry® Enterprise Instant Messaging (Enterprise IM) 3.0, a free update of the company’s enterprise instant messaging solution, enabling customers with BlackBerry® 10 smartphones to securely communicate over Microsoft® Lync®, Microsoft® Office Communication Server or IBM® Lotus® Sametime®.

BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, BlackBerry’s multi-platform enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution, and BlackBerry 10 smartphones to protect Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Office Communication Server or IBM Lotus Sametime communications by encrypting data from end-to-end. It optimizes communications and collaboration allowing enterprise customers to be more productive while mobile. The client app supports presence, real-time one-to-one and multi-party instant messaging, the ability for a user to update their profile and change their status, as well as to instantly switch from a text chat to a voice call. Messages are integrated within the BlackBerry® Hub for convenience, and the solution supports the separation of enterprise IMs from personal apps and content with BlackBerry® Balance™.

“To be competitive in today’s fast-paced marketplace, you need to enable your workers with tools that let them collaborate in real time,” said Frank Cotter, Vice President, Mobile Computing at BlackBerry. “BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 mobilizes enterprise IM communications in a secure, manageable way through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, while making it easy and convenient for end users to collaborate while on the go.”

“Mobility and real-time demands have dramatically changed how workers communicate and have pushed the adoption of a variety and often disparate collaboration mechanisms,” said Kevin Burden, Director, Mobility, Strategy Analytics. “Today’s mobile worker requires a flexible solution that gives them access to various systems allowing them to be more timely and responsive to their co-workers, which is the principal of BlackBerry Enterprise IM.”

BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 is available now at no charge for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 and BlackBerry 10 smartphones and can be downloaded at:

https://swdownloads.blackberry.com/Downloads/entry.do?code=D47BF0AF618A3523A226ED7CADA85CE3

It supports Microsoft Lync 2010 and 2013, Microsoft Office Communication Server 2007 R2 and IBM Lotus Sametime 8.5 and 8.5.2.

For more information, please visit www.blackberry.com/EnterpriseIM

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com

BlackBerry Introduces a Youthful and Fun BlackBerry 10 QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, for Selected Markets

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) introduced the BlackBerry® Q5, a new youthful and fun BlackBerry® 10 smartphone for selected markets. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone features a QWERTY keyboard with discrete keys in a stunning youthful design that is confident, fun, and bold. Every feature, every part of the BlackBerry Q5 has been built to provide a fast, effortless experience that flows and moves with you to help you explore, create, and share while on the go.

“BlackBerry is excited to bring a new BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

As part of the BlackBerry 10 experience, the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone offers a powerful and unique mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Features and apps work seamlessly together, allowing your every move to flow into the next. Highlights of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone include:

The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard

The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1” touchscreen for all the rest.

Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker

Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry® Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry® Story Maker.

Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share

Instantly switch your BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.*

Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub

With BlackBerry® Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.  

BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem

Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront.

Pricing and Availability

The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa,  Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with expected availability beginning in July.

For more information BlackBerry 10, please visit www.blackberry.com/blackberry10

*Compatible BlackBerry 10 smartphones, Wi-Fi, 4G or HSPA+ connection required. Additional restrictions apply visit blackberry.com for details.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

BlackBerry and Flurry announce Flurry Analytics for BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry developers now have access to industry leading analytics tool

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) and Flurry announced Flurry Analytics for BlackBerry® 10 is expected to become available by the end of Q2. Flurry Analytics is a tool developers can easily integrate with their apps to enable access to user data. It provides developers a consolidated dashboard across multiple platforms for convenience and control with a deeper understanding of audience demographics, customer acquisition, user engagement and purchasing patterns. Flurry Analytics will enable BlackBerry 10 app developers to establish performance benchmarks against category and overall market as well as deepen customer insights to improve monetization and retention strategies.

“We’re excited to work with Flurry to provide our partners and developers with the Flurry Analytics SDK and the Flurry Analytics Dashboard, which will help enable them to bring high quality apps that customers can enjoy on the BlackBerry 10 platform,” said Martyn Mallick, VP Global Alliances and Business Development.

“Flurry is proud to support the vibrant BlackBerry 10 developer community as they adopt the new platform,” said Simon Khalaf, Flurry CEO. “Flurry is equally proud to support platform providers so committed to innovation in the mobile app ecosystem.”

Developers can register to download the SDK here: http://www.flurry.com/flurry-analytics.html

Additional information for developers, including instructions, can be found here: http://devblog.blackberry.com/2013/05/flurry-analytics-blackberry-10/

About Flurry

Flurry helps app owners measure, advertise and monetize apps in the new app economy. The company’s comprehensive measurement and advertising platform reaches over 1 billion monthly unique smartphone and tablet devices across iOS, Android and other platforms. More than 100,000 companies use Flurry advertising and analytics services across more than 300,000 apps.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

BlackBerry to Webcast Keynote and Alicia Keys Performance from Orlando

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) will webcast news from its annual conference in Orlando today. BlackBerry President & CEO Thorsten Heins will kick off the show with a keynote presentation accessible via live stream beginning at 9 a.m. ET on the BlackBerry Live website: www.blackberrylive.com.

The Keep Moving Experience produced by Alicia Keys, BlackBerry’s new Global Creative Director, will also be streamed live and include performances by Alicia Keys, Alabama Shakes, Miguel, Maria Gadú, and Cedric Gervais.  The entertainment from Universal Studios will be accessible via webcast beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET: www.blackberrylive.com.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Version 10.1 Now Available for Download

Multi-platform Enterprise Mobility Management solution adds new “Regulated-level” IT policy controls, simplified implementation with single-server deployment

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, an update to BlackBerry’s multi-platform Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution that provides device and app management for BYOD and corporate-owned BlackBerry®, iOS® and Android™ devices. Today’s update brings new “Regulated-level”  IT policy controls and settings for government agencies and customers in regulated industries who require an advanced level of security, control and logging of BlackBerry® 10 smartphones. It also allows customers to support BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry OS smartphones from a single server.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 is free to download and existing BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 5 customers can exchange their client access licenses for free through 2013*. To date, 12,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 servers have been installed by customers around the world.

Key features of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1

·         Regulated-level EMM. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 provides customers with an optional set of extended IT policy settings and controls that restricts the use of a BlackBerry 10 smartphone for work only (does not allow personal apps and content).

·         Simplified deployment for a lower total cost of ownership. Following a simple installation process, customers will be able to use BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 to manage BlackBerry 10 smartphones, BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, iOS and Android devices, as well as earlier model BlackBerry smartphones.  Upgrading to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 is simple and intuitive, and existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 customers can quickly upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 with no firewall changes.

·         Dashboard & reporting. New dashboard capabilities provide an "at-a-glance" graphical view of information and statistics associated with the customer's complete fleet of devices, providing administrators with immediate access to the information they need. The dashboard displays a high level overview of information such as a device deployment summary by platform and carrier, device compliance state, application deployments, and more.

·         High Availability. All components of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 can now be deployed in a highly available active/passive configuration, similar to the high availability support offered by BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0. It offers simple, easy to configure threshold settings and improved failover performance.

·         BlackBerry Support is now included as standard. Care** now comes as standard with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 deployments***, providing 12x5 telephone access to BlackBerry  experts, responsive online support, access to training, productivity and diagnostic tools. Extended technical support offerings are available.

 “The new Regulated-level EMM options in BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 give our government and high-security customers the advanced settings they need to have complete control of the BlackBerry 10 smartphones connected to their networks,” said David J Smith, EVP, Enterprise Mobile Computing.  “Extending BlackBerry security, device and application management to iOS and Android frees our customers from the need to invest in multiple device management technologies, giving them an easy and cost-effective upgrade path to a solution that supports their entire mobile environment globally.”

“BlackBerry remains the only mobile solution that has a significant focus on security and business,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. “This allows BlackBerry to stand out positively in a market dominated by consumer focused solutions and appeal to those that rank work and productivity as more important. They also provide the fastest solution which has proven critical to those where seconds mean dollars or lives.”

On the Road Map for Enterprises

Announced in March 2013 and scheduled to be available at the end June 2013, a further update of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 is intended to extend BlackBerry security capabilities for data-at-rest and data-in-transit and provide complete separation between work and personal data and applications for iOS and Android devices.   Subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play, as applicable, the new BlackBerry Secure Work Space for iOS and Android solution would include client applications that secure email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, browsing and document editing for the device provisioned with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. It would also introduce BlackBerry’s single outbound port solution, aimed at greatly simplifying firewall configuration and giving customers a more secure, simple, cost effective and VPN-less infrastructure to reliably manage all of their mobile devices. Additionally, customers would be able to “app wrap” to secure additional applications to run within BlackBerry Secure Work Space through simple interfaces made available with the product. The solution is currently in closed beta with BlackBerry customers and partners worldwide.

For companies that don’t require behind the firewall app and browsing access, application management, or advanced security and controls, BlackBerry 10 smartphones support ActiveSync, providing organizations a fast and easy solution for synchronizing with  Microsoft® Exchange®, IBM® Notes® Traveler, Novell® GroupWise®, Hotmail®, Microsoft® Office365TM, and Google AppsTM. This is an attractive option for SMBs and larger companies that don’t require the comprehensive controls and settings offered by BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and are looking for a fast, cost effective way to connect BlackBerry 10 smartphones to their enterprise messaging systems.

Availability

The BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software is available as a free download at www.bes10.com. Annual client access licenses (CALs) are free for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 customers trading up existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 CALs through 2013*, or can be purchased for $59 per year per device. For Regulated-level EMM capabilities, additional carrier charges may apply.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software is also available as a sixty (60) day free trial including 20 CALs and can be downloaded here.

The BlackBerry 10 Ready Program continues to run with offers, information and resources to help organizations make the transition to BlackBerry 10 fast, easy, and cost effective. A new free upgrade offer from BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4 to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 is now available, saving customers the $995 software upgrade fee. BlackBerry Enterprise Server  5 is required in order to manage BlackBerry OS smartphones through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, and existing customers can still take advantage of the free license exchange program at www.blackberry.com/blackberry10ready, which is available until December 31, 2013.*

 * Terms and conditions apply. Subject to change without notice. For more information visit: www.blackberry.com/licensetradeup

** For customers wanting access to higher levels of support, priority queuing, account management and strategic services, BlackBerry Technical Support Services are available.

*** Deployment includes installation of the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software and purchase of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Client Access Licenses. Only new 10.1 annual licenses are eligible for Care, which is for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 support only.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com

BBM Now Lets You Tune In to the People and Communities That Matter To You with BBM Channels

For the times when you want to share experiences beyond your friends or engage the communities you care about, BlackBerry® is taking its globally popular mobile social network, BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), up a notch with new functionality called BBM Channels. BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today announced the beta launch of BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow people to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about.

“BBM is the best way to stay connected, and with today’s announcement, we’re again expanding the capabilities of the service to provide a deeper real-time engagement experience for people to connect with brands, business, and communities that matter most to them,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of Software Product Management and Ecosystem at BlackBerry. “With over 60 million highly engaged customers using BBM, content creators have a great opportunity to build deeper relationships, enhance their brands, and connect in new ways.”

BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.

Starting today, BBM customers can connect and share the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team on their BBM Channels. BlackBerry is working with leading global brands around the world to help them build and promote exciting new BBM Channel offerings.

BBM Channels features:

Create a channel – Create, edit and publish in an instant, and there are no limits to the number of followers you can have in your channel. Securely manage your channel from either a BlackBerry smartphone or the web.
Discover channels – BBM Channels includes a carousel that lets you discover new channels. You can share channel invites within a BBM chat, and people can be added or invited using the channel’s PIN or QR code.
View – View profiles for each BBM Channel you choose to follow.
Subscribe – Subscribing to a channel allows the channel owner to send you timely and relevant updates, giving the subscriber instant access to your news, deals, events or whatever you want to communicate. Subscribers can choose to receive notifications when new posts are available.
Participate – Participate and engage in conversations with your favorite people or communities by “Commenting” and “Liking” posts from channels you subscribe to. Channel owners have the option to directly chat one-on-one with a subscriber.
Monitor engagement – Easily use built-in measuring tools to assess and monitor follower engagement and interaction
Today, BlackBerry also announced plans to bring BBM to iOS® and Android™ users this summer. BlackBerry expects that iOS and Android users will also be able to experience BBM Channels later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

BBM with BBM Channels is now available in beta for BlackBerry® 10 smartphones, as well as BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry® 5 OS through 7.1. For BlackBerry OS customers*, BBM Channels is part of the new BBM version 8, which also offers enhanced navigation tools, with tabbed viewing for quick and easy access to contacts, chats, groups, recent updates and BBM Channels. Furthermore, it allows the option to share your enhanced profile information with BBM contacts or within invitations. The beta releases can be downloaded for free on BlackBerry Beta Zone**. Customers can sign up to BlackBerry Beta Zone for free at www.BlackBerry.com/betazone. For more information about BBM, please visit www.blackberry.com/bbm.

*BBM requires a BlackBerry service plan on BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS.

**BlackBerry Beta Zone is not available in all markets.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

BBM for iOS and Android to Launch This Summer

Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced plans to make  its ground-breaking mobile social network, BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), available to iOS® and Android™ users this summer, with support planned for iOS6, and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher, all subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. BBM sets the standard for mobile instant messaging with a fast, reliable, engaging experience that includes delivered and read statuses, and personalized profiles and avatars. Upon release, BBM customers would be able to broaden their connections to include friends, family and colleagues on other mobile platforms.

In the planned initial release, iOS and Android users would be able to experience the immediacy of BBM chats, including multi-person chats, as well as the ability to share photos and voice notes, and engage in BBM Groups, which allows BBM customers to create groups of up to 30 people.

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry.

BBM is loved by customers for its “D” and “R” statuses, which show up in chats to let people know with certainty that their message has been delivered and read. It provides customers with a high level of control and privacy over who they add to their contact list and how they engage with them, as invites are two-way opt-in. iOS and Android users would be able to add their contacts through PIN, email, SMS or QR code scan, regardless of platform. Android users would also be able to connect using a compatible NFC-capable device.

BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers, with more than 51 million people using BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps. Almost half of BBM messages are read within 20 seconds of being received; indicating how truly engaged BBM customers are.

Today, BlackBerry also announced BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow customers to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about. BlackBerry plans to add support for BBM Channels as well as voice and video chatting for iOS and Android later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

If approved by Apple and Google, the BBM app will be available as a free download in the Apple® App StoreSM and Google Play store. Additional details about system requirements and availability will be announced closer to the launch.

###                                                              

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

Windows Phone jumps to third place in smartphone market

Microsoft's mobile OS surpassed BlackBerry in smartphone shipments and market share during the first quarter of 2013, says IDC.


Microsoft's Windows Phone grabbed third place from BlackBerry in global smartphone shipments in the first quarter, market researcher IDC said Thursday.
Windows Phone accounted for shipments of 7 million smartphones, earning itself a market share of 3.2 percent last quarter. That was a gain from the first quarter of 2012, which saw shipments of 3 million and a market share of 2 percent.
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Over the same period, BlackBerry saw its fortunes fall. Last quarter, shipments fell to 6.3 million from 9.7 million in the year-ago quarter, while BlackBerry's market share dropped to 2.9 percent from 6.4 percent.
Windows Phone posted the largest gain among all operating systems, a feat largely due to Nokia, IDC said in its report. The Finnish phone maker was responsible for 70 percent of all Windows Phone shipments last quarter. Since partnering with Microsoft, Nokia has shipped a total of 20.3 million Windows Phone handsets. Other vendors also offer Windows Phone devices but mostly as an alternative to their mainstay Android phones.
"Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," IDC analyst Kevin Restivo said in a statement. "Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alterative to Android or iOS."
Despite the boost for Windows Phone, Google's Android and Apple iOS operating systems still completely dominate the smartphone landscape.
Android phones saw shipments of 162.1 million last quarter, up from 90.3 million for the prior year's quarter. Market share climbed to 75 percent from 59.1 percent.
Apple shipped 37.4 million iPhones in the first quarter, up from 35.1 million, though its slice of the market dropped to 17.3 percent from 23 percent.
(Credit: IDC)
"Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is the constantly shifting operating system landscape," IDC research manager Ramon Llamas said in a statement. "Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion's share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives. Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation, and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."

http://news.cnet.com/

Android and iOS Combine for 92.3% of All Smartphone Operating System Shipments in the First Quarter While Windows Phone Leapfrogs BlackBerry, According to IDC

Android and iOS, the number one and number two ranked smartphone operating systems (OS) worldwide, combined for 92.3% of all smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2013 (1Q13) as Windows Phone crept past BlackBerry for 3rd place. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Android smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 199.5 million units worldwide during 1Q13, up 59.1% from the 125.4 million units shipped during 1Q12.

"Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is the constantly shifting operating system landscape," noted Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion's share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives. Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation, and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."

"Windows Phone claiming the third spot is a first and helps validate the direction taken by Microsoft and key partner Nokia," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alterative to Android or iOS."

Smartphone Operating System Highlights

Android remains the leader in the smartphone operating system market, increasing its market share despite the seasonality working against the entire smartphone market in the first quarter. Samsung was once again the clear leader among all Android smartphone vendors, commanding 41.1% market share. Following Samsung was a long list of vendors with single-digit market share, and an even longer list of vendors with market share less than one percent. The intra-Android competition has not stifled companies from keeping Android as the cornerstone of their respective smartphone strategies, but has upped the ante to innovate proprietary experiences.

Apple iOS marked its largest ever first quarter volume on the strength of its iPhone shipment volumes, yet the operating system posted a year-over-year decline in market share and lower year-over-year shipment growth than the overall market. Although demand remains strong worldwide, the iOS experience has remained largely the same since the first iPhone debuted in 2007. That appears ready to change as online rumors and speculation predict a massive overhaul of the user interface when iOS 7 debuts.

Windows Phone posted the largest year-over-year gain among the leading operating systems, more than doubling its size from a year ago. Nokia was largely responsible for driving these volumes higher, accounting for 79.0% of all Windows Phone shipments during the quarter. Since Nokia began shipping Windows Phone devices, the company has shipped a total of 20.3 million units and grown the footprint worldwide to include address multiple market segments. Meanwhile, other vendors continue to offer Windows Phone devices, but mainly as an alternative to their signature Android devices. Still, the gains made by Windows Phone demonstrate both end-user demand and OEM support.

BlackBerry realized double-digit declines from a year ago, but this masks the progress that the company has made since then. In its first quarter of availability, BlackBerry formally introduced and shipped more than a million units running on its new BB10 platform, a significant breakthrough for the company. At the same time, BlackBerry still relied on its BB7 smartphones for the majority of its shipment volume, which, due to their lower prices, were well received within key markets.

Linux saw continued decline in shipment volumes to start off the year, reaching levels not seen since 1Q10. The lower volumes were not completely unexpected, as most vendors have switched to Android and Samsung, Linux's biggest OEM supporter, readies the debut of its first Tizen-powered smartphones for later this year. This is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the open-source operating system, as multiple platforms, including Mozilla, SailFish, Tizen, and Ubuntu are expected to introduce or launch their first smartphones in the coming months.

Symbian recorded the largest year-over-year decline compared to any other operating system. The decline for Symbian-powered smartphones was expected as its primary OEM supporter Nokia has transitioned to Windows Phone and Japanese vendors have moved to Android. Although shipments continue to decline, IDC believes that Symbian shipments could continue into 2014, but in drastically lower volumes.

Top Five Smartphone Operating Systems, Shipments, and Market Share, 1Q 2013 (Units in Millions) 

Operating System	1Q13 Shipment Volume	1Q13 Market Share	1Q12 Shipment Volume	1Q12 Market Share	Year over Year Change
Android	162.1	75.0%	90.3	59.1%	79.5%
iOS	37.4	17.3%	35.1	23.0%	6.6%
Windows Phone	7.0	3.2%	3.0	2.0%	133.3%
BlackBerry OS	6.3	2.9%	9.7	6.4%	-35.1%
Linux	2.1	1.0%	3.6	2.4%	-41.7%
Symbian	1.2	0.6%	10.4	6.8%	-88.5%
Others	0.1	0.0%	0.6	0.4%	-83.3%
Total	216.2	100.0%	152.7	100.0%	41.6%

Source: IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, May 2013.

Note: Data are preliminary and subject to change. Vendor shipments are branded shipments and exclude OEM sales for all vendors.

iCharts

This chart is intended for public use in online news articles and social media. Instructions on how to embed this graphic are available by clicking here.

About IDC Trackers

IDC Tracker products provide accurate and timely market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. Using proprietary tools and research processes, IDC's Trackers are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Tracker results are delivered to clients in user-friendly excel deliverables and on-line query tools. The IDC Tracker Charts app allows users to view data charts from the most recent IDC Tracker products on theiriPhone and iPad.

For more information about IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, please contact Kathy Nagamine at 650-350-6423 or knagamine@idc.com.

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For more than 49 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

BlackBerry announces BBM Channels

BlackBerry announces BBM Channels

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/05/15/blackberry-announces-bbm-channels/

BlackBerry Messenger coming to Android and iOS this summer

BlackBerry Messenger coming to Android and iOS this summer

http://blog.clove.co.uk/2013/05/15/blackberry-messenger-coming-to-android-and-ios-this-summer/

BlackBerry Q10 grabs Selfridges tech sales record

UK retailer Selfridges was the first to sell the BlackBerry Q10 when it exclusively offered the new smartphone over the weekend ahead of its nationwide rollout tomorrow, 30 April. And in doing so, the store saw one of its former sales records smashed.

The Qwerty-keyboard-touting BlackBerry 10 phone - the handset many BlackBerry fans were waiting for - was Selfridges' fastest-ever selling consumer electronics product. And it took less than 24 hours to do it.

It went on sale on Friday 26 April in the chain's London, Birmingham and Manchester superstores and initial stock sold out in two hours. The online pre-order site also had 30,000 page views in the two days before the phone went on sale.

"The BlackBerry Q10 has been, without a doubt, the most highly anticipated smartphone we have ever sold and is already our most successful," said Julian Slim, Selfridges' head of Home and Leisure. "Our partnership has proven to be a powerful combination of great technology and commercial success."

The phone's initial performance ahead of its general release can be seen as great news for BlackBerry, which has been battling with negative reports published by analysts on the sales performance of the Z10, its non-keyboard BB10 smartphone.

"The BlackBerry Q10 represents the next chapter in the BlackBerry 10 story and we are delighted that it has been so well received," said Rob Orr, BlackBerry UK managing director. "This initial success at Selfridges highlights the strong consumer demand for a high-end physical keyboard smartphone."

http://www.pocket-lint.com/

BBM Video with Screen Share: BlackBerry Q10 - Official How To Demo

Switch your BBM™ chat to a BBM Video conversation and talk face-to-face with those that matter to you most. Use the new Screen Share feature to show photos, your browser, or review a business document together. You can even share the view from your camera.

Browser Basics: BlackBerry Q10 - Official How To Demo

Discover a BlackBerry® Browser with speed, simplicity, powerful page rendering and built-in sharing to your favorite social networks. Found something you want to show your friends? Send a link through email or post it to the social app of your choice -- all it takes is a couple of gestures.

BlackBerry 10 Customers Will Have a Great Selection of Top Apps in Every Category

BlackBerry welcomes more than 1000 of the top app partners with relevant, local content from every region of the globe

Waterloo, ON – A phenomenal lineup of top brands and applications have committed to the BlackBerry® 10 platform, giving the new platform the strongest content offering of any first generation mobile platform at launch. Yesterday at the BlackBerry 10 launch event in New York, BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) announced that 1000 of the top app partners will be making their applications available on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront. The partners range from leaders in social media to the top games, sports, productivity, lifestyle apps, and more.

BlackBerry Vice President of Global Alliances and Business Development, Martyn Mallick took to the stage yesterday to showcase some of applications committed to BlackBerry 10, and attendees were able to play with some of the applications for the new platform.

“Being able to announce 1000 of the top app partners is a testament to the strength of BlackBerry 10, the ease of developing for this powerful new platform, and the remarkable opportunity that it represents for developers and brands alike,” said Mallick. “We have focused on bringing the most relevant apps to BlackBerry 10 – whether they are global leaders in their categories, or whether they are regional must-have apps. We are thrilled and want to thank all the developers that have shown such strong support of a platform before it has commercially launched. We share in their excitement and belief in BlackBerry 10.”

Here are just some of the apps and games committed to BlackBerry 10. Many of these apps will be available at launch with others to follow:

Business and Productivity

·         Bloomberg, BMC Service Desk & Remedy, Box, Cisco WebEx Meetings, Citrix Podio, CNBC, Dictionary.com, Emirates NBD, Harmon.ie, IBM Notes Traveler, ING DIRECT Canada, Nat West, RBC, RBS, SAP, TD Bank Group and Thomson Reuters


Gaming

·         10tons: Sparkle, Joining Hands, Azkend, King Oddball, Azkend2, Ironworm, Dragon Portal and Boom Brigade 2

·         Disney Mobile Games: Where's My Water? and Where's My Perry?

·         Electronic Arts: A great selection of their top games including, Mass Effect™ Infiltrator, Flight Control Rocket, The SimsTM FreePlay and MONOPOLY Millionaire

·         Fishlabs: Galaxy on Fire

·         Funkoi: Alpha Zero

·         Gameloft: A great selection of their top games, including Asphalt 7: Heat, The Amazing Spider-Man™, Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, The Dark Knight Rises™

·         Halfbrick: Jetpack Joyride, Fruit Ninja

·         JoyBits: Doodle God & Doodle Devil

·         Rovio: Angry Birds Classic, Angry Birds Star Wars, Angry Bids Space and Angry Birds Seasons

·         Square One Games: Square One and InXile

·         SEGA: Sonic4™ Episode 1

·         ZeptoLab- Cut the Rope, Cut the Rope: Experiments


Lifestyle

·         AccuWeather, Air Canada, Air France, DStv Mobile, Dr. Oetker Rezeptideen, Easyjet, FlightAware, Flixster, KLM, Manulife Financial,  President’s Choice Recipe Box, SkyScanner, Spotcast, StubHub, The Weather Channel, The Weather Network, Tim Hortons TimmyMe™, United Airlines, Wikitude, WisePilot, Yellow Pages Group and Zara

Multimedia

·         Absolute Radio, Al Jazeera, Allociné, Astral Radio, BBC Worldwide- Top Gear, BubblePix, Channel 4, Corus Entertainment- Radio, Deezer, E! Online, eMusic, Europe 1, Kiss Kube, MTV Italia, Nobex Radio, NOS, N-TV Nachrichten, Occipital 360 Panorama,  OxygenLive, Pacemaker, PaperCamera, Rdio, Shahid.net,  SiriusXM, Slacker, Songza, SoundHound, TuneIn, and Volu.me


Published Media

·         AFP News, Amazon Kindle, CBC (News, Radio, Music, Hockey Night in Canada), Economist, elmundo.es, El Pais, Grazia Italy, Handlesbaltt, kicker, Leo Dictionary, MailOnline, Maxim, News24, New York Times, NU.nl, PressReader, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, The Independent, The London Evening Standard, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Wirtschaftswoche

Social

·         Badoo, Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn, ooVoo, Skype, Tuenti Social Messenger, Twitter, Viber, Whatsapp and Xing


Sports

CBSSports.com, ESPN ScoreCenter, Goal.com, L’equipe, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment’s Maple Leafs Mobile App and Raptors Mobile App, MLB.com At Bat®, NHL GameCenter, PGA Tour, Runtastic, Sports Tracker and UFC

Continuing to build out a rich and robust content offering for BlackBerry 10 customers, on January 28, BlackBerry announced content partnerships with leading music labels, movie studios and TV broadcasters making BlackBerry World a one stop shop for all app, games and multimedia content for BlackBerry 10. http://press.blackberry.com/press/2013/new-blackberry-world-for-blackberry-10-to-include-extensive-catalogue-of-songs-latest-movies-and-tv-shows.html

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is currently listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM) (Ticker symbols to change to NASDAQ: BBRY and TSX: BB on February 4, 2013). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.