RIM Distributes BlackBerry 10 Developer Toolkit
ORLANDO—RIM today unveiled its new BlackBerry 10 operating system. Not to be overshadowed, the company has also released an initial developer toolkit for native and HTML5 software development.
"Developers building for BlackBerry 10 will be able to easily create the kind of cutting-edge apps that deliver truly engaging experiences and 'wow' customers, whether through integration with native features and other apps like BBM or by leveraging the new signature design elements of this new and powerful mobile computing platform," Alec Saunders, vice president of developer relations and ecosystems development, said here at BlackBerry World.
According to Christopher Smith, vice president of handheld application platform and tools, "developers can use this first beta of the tools to get started building apps for BlackBerry 10 and as the tools evolve over the coming months, developers will have access to a rich API set that will allow them to build even more integrated apps… BlackBerry 10 will empower developers to create attractive and compelling apps that excite customers."
The toolkit includes the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK with Cascades, which allows developers to build graphics intensive applications without having to write graphics code. And the Native SDK for BlackBerry 10 has a large set of APIs that give developers access to core device features and a range of BlackBerry application services, such as Push and Payment services.
The toolkit also includes support for HTML5 application developers with the BlackBerry 10 WebWorks SDK, which allows developers to create native-like applications using common Web-programming technologies.
To help developers get started on the BlackBerry 10 platform, RIM is distributing a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device at BlackBerry World. This testing unit will provide the developer community with the tools needed to build applications for BB10 devices, so that they are ready when the first BB10-powered devices launch "in the latter part of 2012."
The developer toolkit is available in beta as a free download from developer.blackberry.com. Applications created with any of the BB10 tools will run on BlackBerry 10 smartphones as well as the BlackBerry PlayBook when it receives and update to the new OS.
While it's true that current BlackBerry devices have suffered a massive dip in popularity, partially due to the lack of available, quality third-party apps, we still haven't seen a whole lot of BlackBerry 10 itself today. This morning's presentation, and most of the events scheduled for the next few days, are all focused on development.
RIM’s commitment to developers
During the keynote, Saunders stated that RIM has invested heavily in the developer ecosystem. His comment was backed up by the availability of tools designed to help developers get up to speed on the BlackBerry 10 platform quickly; this ranges from the Cascades Builder to the Ripple HTML5 Emulator to the Visual Studio plug-in - all of which are currently available at no cost.
“It’s easy to develop for the BlackBerry,” says Saunders, who pledged that the company will continue to invest in the developer ecosystem. Qualified developers were handed BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha devices at the end of the one-day event. Built at a small in-house manufacturing facility in Waterloo, Canada, these devices were created for the sole purpose of testing BlackBerry 10 apps.
Moreover, RIM will be offering a US$10,000 guarantee to developers who submit a BlackBerry 10 app in time for the launch of BlackBerry 10 devices, which is currently expected to happen in the first quarter of 2013. If an app doesn’t generate $10,000 in revenue by the end of one year, RIM says it will make good the difference. Full conditions for the program aren’t available yet, but it is understood that apps will have to be certified by an independent third party for quality and must be a paid app to qualify.
ORLANDO—RIM today unveiled its new BlackBerry 10 operating system. Not to be overshadowed, the company has also released an initial developer toolkit for native and HTML5 software development.
"Developers building for BlackBerry 10 will be able to easily create the kind of cutting-edge apps that deliver truly engaging experiences and 'wow' customers, whether through integration with native features and other apps like BBM or by leveraging the new signature design elements of this new and powerful mobile computing platform," Alec Saunders, vice president of developer relations and ecosystems development, said here at BlackBerry World.
According to Christopher Smith, vice president of handheld application platform and tools, "developers can use this first beta of the tools to get started building apps for BlackBerry 10 and as the tools evolve over the coming months, developers will have access to a rich API set that will allow them to build even more integrated apps… BlackBerry 10 will empower developers to create attractive and compelling apps that excite customers."
The toolkit includes the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK with Cascades, which allows developers to build graphics intensive applications without having to write graphics code. And the Native SDK for BlackBerry 10 has a large set of APIs that give developers access to core device features and a range of BlackBerry application services, such as Push and Payment services.
The toolkit also includes support for HTML5 application developers with the BlackBerry 10 WebWorks SDK, which allows developers to create native-like applications using common Web-programming technologies.
To help developers get started on the BlackBerry 10 platform, RIM is distributing a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device at BlackBerry World. This testing unit will provide the developer community with the tools needed to build applications for BB10 devices, so that they are ready when the first BB10-powered devices launch "in the latter part of 2012."
The developer toolkit is available in beta as a free download from developer.blackberry.com. Applications created with any of the BB10 tools will run on BlackBerry 10 smartphones as well as the BlackBerry PlayBook when it receives and update to the new OS.
While it's true that current BlackBerry devices have suffered a massive dip in popularity, partially due to the lack of available, quality third-party apps, we still haven't seen a whole lot of BlackBerry 10 itself today. This morning's presentation, and most of the events scheduled for the next few days, are all focused on development.
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