I was just taking a look at numbers published by mobile analytics firm, Distimo, that outlines Research in Motion’s abysmal performance when it comes to BlackBerry applications as compared to their competitors.  The best way to describe the number of applications in BlackBerry App World is to call it a complete and utter embarrassment

I would even go as far to say that if RIM doesn’t address application support and development on the BlackBerry in a big way this year, you will begin to see the BlackBerry’s gains in total market share begin to turn into losses, especially here in the United States.


I don’t think that anyone is expecting RIM, or anyone else, for that matter, to jump up and knock Apple’s App Store off their throne any time in the near future, however, RIM should be able to, and, more importantly, absolutely needs to keep pace with Google and Android.  BlackBerry market share is 400% more than Androids.  For every Android device sold, 5 BlackBerry devices are sold, yet, new Android applications arrive in  Android Market at 6 times the clip that they appear in BlackBerry App World.

At the end of the day, developers develop where there is a market. I know that the percentage of free applications in Android Market is significantly higher than it is in BlackBerry App World… 57% as compared to 24%.  This, however, doesn’t even come close to making up for the difference.  When the market for BlackBerry deivces is  5 times that of Android devices yet roughly 6 times fewer applications are being developed for the BlackBerry, something is very, very wrong.

Most developers I’ve talked to say that RIMs tools for BlackBerry application development suck, and, that is putting it politely.  The market is there for RIM, but, it is so hard to create applications for the BlackBerry, developers simply don’t.  RIM has to address this and they need to do it sooner rather than later.  Whether they do it internally, or, they buy someone as they did to address issues with the BlackBerry Browser, they need to do something quick and in a hurry…

What do you think?

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