With BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) on the verge of a critical comeback with the launch of its latest operating system, BlackBerry 10, third-party application developers are releasing a slew of apps designed for the platform, including ooVoo, which offers an HD video communications service, as well as apps from Cisco, SAP and content-sharing specialist Box.
The BlackBerry 10 platform allows the ooVoo service to integrate with voice, video and the BlackBerry 10 browser, giving users a multiplatform solution for video chat and instant messaging and allowing 12 contacts to connect at the same time. The app will be integrated into the basic calling functionality in BlackBerry 10, making it possible for customers to flow directly from a voice call to an ooVoo video call.
In addition, a Watch Together feature lets users have group video viewing experiences within video calls. ooVoo’s customers can incorporate video calling with contacts for opinions in real time. The independent social video chat provider currently boasts 66 million registered subscribers, according to a company release.
“As a leader in communications, we understand the importance of bringing people together in an innovative way that is easy to use,” RIM’s vice president of global alliances and business development Martyn Mallick said in a statement. “ooVoo will be a fantastic choice for BlackBerry 10 customers looking for a multi-user video communications service that can connect them to their contacts on virtually any computer or mobile device, and we are pleased to work with ooVoo to help bring their service to our customers.”
Cisco, SAP, Box, communications provider Truphone and digital dictation specialist BigHand are just a few of the companies whose applications will be available for BlackBerry 10 at launch. Ahead of the platform’s release, developers were provided with toolkits that included the BlackBerry 10 Native software development kit (SDK) with Cascades to create graphically rich native apps in C/C++ or the Qt Modeling Language (QML), and the BlackBerry 10 WebWorks SDK for HTML5 developers.
“The developer community for enterprise and government has been incredible in the support of BlackBerry 10,” RIM vice president of enterprise partnerships Derek Peper said in a statement. “The community sees the potential of the BlackBerry 10 platform to help individuals and organizations make the shift from mobile communications to mobile computing, and have stepped forward with powerful, dynamic and user-friendly applications that can empower employees around the globe.”
Groveware Technologies, a Verizon Wireless Business Solutions Partner and a developer of mobile process automation apps, has also already prepared their app, MobiTask, for the BlackBerry 10. The company uses a middleware in conjunction with MobiTask that ensures all data is encrypted before it is sent off of the mobile device.
While there are many businesses and governments who have made the switch to Apple or Android devices—encouraged by the trend in bring you own device (BYOD) policies and the general consumerization of IT– Blackberry still maintains a large number of corporate clients who are security conscience. “People choose Groveware because of the security that we can offer,” Groveware CEO Hrair Achkarian said in a statement.