BlackBerry PlayBook may be able to run Android apps, thanks to Dalvik

When RIM acquired QNX, it was all but certain that the days of Java-powered BlackBerry OSes were drawing to a close. That doesn't mean RIM plans on ditching support for all those legacy BlackBerry apps developed for use in the enterprise, however. Boy Genius Report has received information that RIM intends to support those apps by way of a virtual machine -- and what better Java VM to use than Google's Dalvik (which drives Android)?

In theory, a Dalvik VM running on a BlackBerry device could be capable of running an Android .APK. However, since most apps are closely tied to OS-specific APIs, there's also a very good chance that most Android apps wouldn't do anything noteworthy on future RIM devices. Still, the possibility is an exciting one -- and the ability to handle Android apps would definitely make BlackBerry a bit more enticing to both developers and users.

Tags: .apk, android, apk, blackberry, dalvik, java, mobile, playbook, rim, virtual machine, VirtualMachine, vm