Research In Motion will be removing the ability to sideload applications on the BlackBerry PlayBook in a future software update, RIM’s VP of developer relations Alex Saunders said. After the update, PlayBook owners will only be able to download and install applications through BlackBerry App World. Saunders said the reason was to prevent piracy, claiming that more than 25% of Android apps are downloaded illegally. “Piracy is a huge problem for Android devs, and we don’t want to duplicate the chaotic cesspool of Android market,” he said. The VP went on to say that while RIM is removing sideloading for consumers, he is “pretty sure we’ve got a solution for devs” to be able to install and test their applications. Earlier this year, RIM announced its BlackBerry App World was home to more than 60,000 applications, and while the number is a mere fraction of what’s available in the Google Play marketplace and Apple’s App Store, BlackBerry apps are downloaded about 40% more frequently each day than their Android counterparts according to RIM.
[Via Crackberry]
