
BlackBerry will shutter its app store on December 31st, 2019 - john58
https://www.engadget.com/2017/12/15/blackberry-app-store-closes-in-2019/
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djsumdog
I'm really disappointed at the lack of alternatives. WebOS (Palm), Win Mobile,
Ubuntu Touch .. We don't even have standardized micro-computer hardware to
make it remotely easy. Each device is prosperity custom arm disaster.

~~~
alphadevx
Agreed. I started with WebOS (Pre was my first smartphone), then HP happened.
So I jumped to Blackberry 10, then their new CEO moved them to Android. So now
now I am a reluctant Android user, because I find it only slightly less
invasive than iOS. Very disappointed that this is the state of mobile
computing landscape going into 2018.

~~~
BoorishBears
> So now now I am a reluctant Android user, because I find it only slightly
> less invasive than iOS.

That's surprising, I'd say Android is _many_ times more invasive than iOS. iOS
tends to lean towards on-device features where Android will happily send
excessive amounts of your data to their servers to make "neat" features work.

~~~
maxxxxx
On the other hand you cannot install what you want on iOS. They both suck in
their own sweet way.

~~~
BoorishBears
I remember about 5 years ago I was telling friends on day we wouldn't be able
to root flagships (that was back when root exploits were common enough). They
laughed me off, but here we are with more flagships than not never getting
root.

Android's getting locked down, and GPS is getting more and more integral to
Android's functions (stuff like needing FCM for communicating with a device in
Doze mode).

I'd still say iOS is more locked down, but iOS has side loading

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orbitingpluto
Then Blackberry should get started on providing individualized downloadable
.bar files for users who have purchased software from them.

Either that, or get ready to provide a lot of refunds.

~~~
sbarre
That all depends on what the terms of sale/use said.

I doubt they'll be on the hook for that. It's not like they are taking back
the software from you, they are simply turning off the services that the
software relies on, and I doubt they were on the hook for that in some
indefinite manner.

~~~
orbitingpluto
I'm sure they can add an addendum to the Terms of Service that you have to
comply with to continue to use the service so that the service can shut down.
You know, fairness.

I've had issues with several apps that I've purchased from the Windows App
Store disappearing for good. I've had to ask for a refund each time, but
Microsoft will refund.

GameSpot used to have a online store akin to Steam. I've also obtained refunds
from them. That was a difficult process akin to the bypass notices from H2G2,
but it was worth it as I had a large library of games.

Companies are not going to go out of their way to give you your money back.
But they know they owe it to you and will refund your money if pressured to do
so.

~~~
dwighttk
beware of the leopard

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Apocryphon
Right now it appears that the remaining "major" actively developed/supported
alternative mobile OS's are Sailfish and Tizen. The former living off of
Russian/Chinese contracts and funding, the latter because Samsung wants an
insurance policy against Google. Which one is more likely to survive to 2020?

I understand there are a ton of Linux non-Android projects like Plasma Mobile,
Librem, KaiOS, etc., but I'm not sure if any of them are as far as long yet.

edit: see -
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14049174](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14049174)

~~~
pjmlp
Tizen is a joke, might survive on Samsung own teams doing software for
watches, TVs, fridges and what else, but I doubt any serious app developer
will ever touch it.

The SDK went through multiple reboots latest being .NET Core, even worse than
WP, and their lack of code quality is well known.

[https://what.thedailywtf.com/topic/15001/enlightened](https://what.thedailywtf.com/topic/15001/enlightened)

[http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/04/05/researcher-
calls-s...](http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/04/05/researcher-calls-
samsungs-tizen-os-the-worst-code-ive-ever-seen)

[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/12/samsungs_tizen_no_l...](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/12/samsungs_tizen_no_longer_worst_ever/)

~~~
Apocryphon
Ah, then maybe Sailfish will survive as a regional niche.

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amiga-workbench
I think there is a good chance of that, the Russians seem to have a very
rational distrust of western hardware and software.

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horatiocain
Blackberry's app store is still running? That is _baffling_.

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m-p-3
So we know that the newly-released Uber app for BB10 will last around two
years.

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pjmlp
I wonder how much from Cascades framework has been given back to Qt.

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mycall
What will happen to QNX?

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Apocryphon
It'll be fine. It's used in automative systems and my bet is it will allow BB
to reinvent itself as a car company.

~~~
ogdoad
It'll then go out of business again, because nobody will want to drive with a
trackball.

