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RIM launches BlackBerry Video Store with PlayBook OS 2.0

February 21, 2012 — 9:40am ET | By Jason Ankeny

RIM first announced the BlackBerry Video Store in September 2011, vowing to deliver around 10,000 movies and TV series available for purchase or rental. Digital entertainment solutions provider Rovi will power the initiative, which is presently available solely to U.S. consumers. RIM adds it plans to roll out BlackBerry Video Store to other international markets during the months ahead.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 also brings thousands of new applications available for download via BlackBerry App World, including a range of applications ported from Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android mobile operating system. PlayBook OS 2.0 builds in the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps, enabling developers to repackage existing Android apps to run on the tablet as well as upcoming BlackBerry 10-based devices. In recent weeks RIM has awarded free PlayBook tablets to developers who ported their Android apps to the new OS--last week, RIM senior public relations and social media manager Alex Kinsella revealed that more than 6,600 new developers have registered with BlackBerry App World since the offer went live, corresponding with more than 1,500 app submissions.

Also new in BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0: BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, which boasts mobile device management capabilities for tablets and smartphones, as well the updated BlackBerry Bridge app, which provides a Bluetooth connection between the PlayBook and core smartphone apps (including BBM, Email, Contacts, Calendar and Browser) to enable users to view content on the larger tablet display. BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 additionally features social integration with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Speaking at the recent BlackBerry DevCon Europe conference, RIM vice president of developer relations Alec Saunders announced that BlackBerry App World now generates more than 6 million daily downloads, translating to 174 million downloads per month and 30 downloads per user each year. According to Saunders, BlackBerry App World yields 43 percent more daily downloads per app than Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store; it also drives more premium downloads than Google's Android Market, with 13 percent of developers earning revenues in excess of $100,000.

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