Is RIM Working to Get the PlayBook to Run Android Apps?

Hugo Miller and Olga Kharif, reporting for Bloomberg:

Research In Motion Ltd., looking to score a hit with its PlayBook tablet computer, is working on software to allow the device to run applications for Google Inc.’s Android, three people familiar with the matter said.

RIM plans to integrate the technology with the PlayBook operating system, giving customers access to Android’s more than 130,000 apps, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the effort isn’t public. RIM, after looking outside the company, is developing the software internally and may have it ready in the second half, two people said.

AIR apps, Flash apps, Android apps — that’ll all look and work just great.

And hasn’t RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie been arguing that apps aren’t necessary?

★ Thursday, 10 February 2011