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BlackBerry Z10 getting WhatsApp starting next week

Published Mar 8th, 2013 10:22PM EST

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BlackBerry’s (BBRY) app problem is about to get a little less severe. BlackBerry social media manager Alex Kinsella on Thursday posted an update to his Twitter account “predicting” that BlackBerry Z10 users will “be downloading WhatsApp” within the next week. Having WhatsApp on BlackBerry 10 is an important win for the new BlackBerry platform both because of its popularity in emerging markets and because it may help offset the impending loss of unlimited BlackBerry Messenger services in certain key markets. All that said, BlackBerry still has a long way to go when it comes to attracting top apps to its platform, especially in light of Netflix’s (NFLX) confirmation this week that it has no plans to make an app for BlackBerry 10.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.