BlackBerry launches new subscription-based Android apps

Canadian telecommunications company Blackberry announced new services for its Android Hub+ platform this week. Besides the Hub, Calendar and Password Keeper, which were available earlier, another six apps are now available for Android users, for both Marshmallow and Lollipop versions of the operating system.

These apps include Contacts, Tasks, Device Search, Notes, and Launcher, all part of Blackberry's productivity suite. They are available for a free 30-day period, after which they'll cost 99 cents per month. Hub, Calendar, Password Keeper, and Launcher will remain free, but with ads.

The platform has also gotten a few updates, Blackberry says in a blog post. A new widget is also released, backed by popular demand. "As requested by many of our users, we have introduced a BlackBerry Hub widget. Hub also now supports HTML signatures and SCEP/Certificate-based authentication. Some noteworthy improvements in BlackBerry Calendar include quick reminders and out-of-office availability".

Blackberry has long been considered (and it still is, by many) the next Nokia -- a smartphone manufacturer that failed to adapt and died in the process. Blackberry is clinging on to its operating system, BB10, but has recently released a couple of Android-powered devices. This move was hailed by many, but also served as proof that besides iOS and Android, there is little room for other operating systems.

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