Amazon Appstore comes to BlackBerry phones
The latest update to BlackBerry 10 has arrived, bringing Amazon Appstore access with it.
Previously, only the BlackBerry Classic had automatic access to Amazon Appstore. Now the whole BlackBerry 10 handset range will receive it as part of the 10.3.1 update.
As the name suggests, Amazon Appstore is the online retail giant’s own application store, though they’re actually Android apps.
Modern BlackBerries have acquired the handy trick of being able to download and install native Android apps, with only the odd interface clash and compatibility quirk to contend with.
Naturally, you can’t access Android’s official app store, the Google Play Store, on your BlackBerry. But Amazon Appstore is probably the next best thing.
Read More: How to install Android apps on your BlackBerry
In addition to Amazon Appstore, BlackBerry 10.3.1 contains BlackBerry Blend. This syncs content on your BlackBerry – such as messages, emails, documents, and calendar appointments – with your computer and tablet. It works across multiple operating systems, including Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android.
BlackBerry Assistant, meanwhile, is the Canadian company’s answer to Siri and Cortana. It’s a personal assistant app that responds to vocal and text prompts in kind.
These and a bunch of other tweaks (including a smarter camera app) and improvements are rolling out as part of the BlackBerry 10 OS 10.3.1 update Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific now.