After what happened over the weekend (with the BBM app leak on Android) it is inevitable that BlackBerry will face a backlash for not doing things properly, and “experts” will follow the “I told you so, routine”. However, no one will really bother to go into what really was the root cause of the issue. I am sad about this too, but please allow me to burst the bubble - the real cause of this problem was Android. Specifically the Play Store. Yes, the operating system so many love, some sensibly and some with in a deluded trance.
While the entire episode with BBM for Android was unfolding, one thing that got highlighted was the amount of fake apps on the Play Store. Most Android users would assume that the apps on the Play Store would be fine to download, all tested and approved by the organization that many assume as the saviour of the earth - Google. However, most of us who are in this line of work know that isn’t the case. A simple search for BBM on the Play Store, on the actual launch date, revealed a bunch of fake apps. Most had the listing icon as the actual BBM icon, which would seem genuine to almost any unsuspecting user. Add the cherry on top of that poisonous cake - the developers were listed as BlackBerry Inc., and Google new apps. Add to that, open the listing and download page and you will actually see description images of what was possibly the beta version of BBM for Android that was used for internal testing. I personally had to pull the phone away from a friend, who unsuspectingly was downloading one of these apps, and cancel the download.
This discovery led to another discovery - the Play Store is teeming with apps that you wouldn’t want your child to see or use. It looks like there is no control over what goes live on the Play Store, and some even make it to the Trending apps list! Now, imagine, your child takes the Android tablet or the smartphone from you, decided he needs to download a new game, ends up on the Play Store with these apps listed next to the harmless games - not ideal, correct?
This does make us wonder - will Google ever clean up the Play Store? It has always claimed the moral high ground by being an “open” platform to Apple’s so-called “closed” platform. But, since it is never a good idea to vote for censorship regarding content, the simpler way would be for Google to make it easier for parents to change the content restrictions on the device. At the moment, they are there buried deep inside the settings menu, but surely most first time Android users cannot be expected to figure them out. Or even know about them.
Personally, in this battle, I believe Windows Phone has the best model for the other stores to follow, Android particularly. By far the cleanest applications list, and this is how the ideal approval process should work. The WP store isn't teeming with fake apps, thank heavens. Neither is the Apple App Store, in that regard.
No, let us not get into the debate about the app-gaps on WP, but it is important to focus on the good work Microsoft has done with the quality of apps, at least when it comes to making it relatively safe for children, by default out of the box. Yes, there will be apps that don’t work well, there will be apps that you believe aren’t worth paying for, but you can be rest assured that on a Windows Phone, your child will not end up downloading apps that may not be the most ideal for them. Because they aren’t left lying around the store, irresponsibly. They need to be specifically searched for. After all, apps are made by humans!
I am not for one second claiming that the Windows Phone’s app ecosystem is the most robust out there. In fact, far from it, till the time the app gaps are filled. But, at least they have the fundamentals correct. And that is a solid start to build on.
BlackBerry Messenger for Android and iOS was supposed to arrive on the respective platforms on Saturday and Sunday, and it did. But only for a short while. That is because the BBM app was downloaded by 1.1 million Android users. You would say that this is the perfect barometer of success. Alas, the app that was downloaded was not the final version, but an .apk that had leaked online and the link became rather popular. BlackBerry has still not given out any information on what actually was the issue with the app, but the registrations were deactivated and Android users have been asked to wait for the official app. Fingers crossed on that one.
Now, it is important that I clarify a few things. Contrary to the hushed murmurs that tend to do rounds, I do not hate any particular operating system, or blindly love any either. I try to look at each in terms of what they offer, and how they fit into various usage scenarios. I have my reasons, fairly legitimate I believe, to like and not like about each platform. And in this case, I do believe that Android has something to learn from Windows Phone.
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