Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

No native Instagram app coming to BlackBerry 10, report claims

Trevor Mogg
By

instagram1It seems that BlackBerry 10 users hoping for a native Instagram app are going to be disappointed, with a report Thursday suggesting the photo-sharing company has no plans to build one anytime soon.

An unnamed source apparently close to Instagram told AllThingsD that “there will be no [native] Instagram for BB10 for now,” adding, “Frankly, I’m not sure there will ever be.”

Recommended Videos

Sure, it’s early days for BlackBerry 10 – the platform that needs to succeed if the company formerly known as RIM is to survive in its current form – but to win over consumers and present itself as a viable alternative to iOS and Android, a decent selection of apps is paramount and really needs to include the big names.

Related

Native versions of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are already available in the mobile company’s BlackBerry World app store, but there are still glaring omissions, most notably Netflix and Instagram.

The reasons for Instagram’s reported decision to hold off from building a native app for BB10 aren’t certain. It could be that it just doesn’t have the resources – its team comprises around 20 employees, after all – and also it may be reluctant to take the risk with a new platform whose future at this stage isn’t certain.

But it’s not all bad news for Instagram fans interested in forking out for a BB10 device, as the photo-sharing company is said to be working on a port of the Android version of its popular app. Keep in mind though, the fact that it won’t be optimized for the BB10 platform could mean the user experience won’t be as smooth as you’d get with a native version.

Of course, it’s quite possible that on hearing that a native Instagram app may not be coming to BB10, many of those interested in getting their hands on one of BlackBerry’s new handsets will simply shrug their shoulders and utter a carefree “no problem”, though as for BlackBerry, the Ontario-based mobile maker would certainly like to see it in its online store at some point. 

Having big names like Instagram holding back from its fledgling platform could send out the wrong message to other developers and may make it that bit more difficult for BlackBerry to establish itself as the number three platform in the mobile market after iOS and Android, a position BlackBerry boss Thorsten Heins has publicly stated as a goal of the company.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
BlackBerry Key2 LE: Everything you need to know
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is back home at Verizon, but only for business types
BlackBerry Key2 LE Hands On

The BlackBerry Key LE is a lower-cost version of the Key2, doing away with some of the more high-tech features seen on the expensive sister phone, and cutting costs by using different materials for the body, to create a more affordable but still distinctly BlackBerry smartphone.

You can check out our Key2 LE review to learn more about what it's like to live with the phone, but in the meantime, here are all the technical specs, details, and availability options.
Updates
The BlackBerry Key2 LE is available to buy at Verizon, but only to business and enterprise customers, according to reports. Verizon's selling the Key2 LE for $450 without a contract, or for $100 if you sign up for a two-year plan. The phone does not show up on Verizon's non-business store, so there does not seem to be the option to buy the phone for this price without a business plan.

Read more
Learn 14 languages: Get $449 off a lifetime subscription to Babbel
A person using the Babbel app on their smartphone.

Learning a new language no longer requires you to make time for formal classes because there are now several language learning apps that you can tap. One of them is Babbel, and you can currently get a lifetime subscription to the online learning platform for only $150 from StackSocial. That's $449 off its original price of $599, but we don't know how much time is remaining before the offer expires. If you want to take advantage of the 74% discount, it's highly recommended that you complete the transaction immediately.

Why you should buy the Babbel lifetime subscription
A lifetime subscription to Babbel not only unlocks the possibility of learning one or two new languages, as the platform encompasses a total of 14 languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Dutch, Polish, Indonesia, Norwegian, Danish, and Russian. You'll be learning your new language of choice with lessons that only take 10 minutes to 15 minutes each to complete, so unlike classes with a rigid schedule, you can learn at your own pace and at any time you're free through Babbel. The lessons cover real-life topics, and they use speech recognition technology to help you master pronunciation. You'll then test yourself through personalized review sessions that will help make sure that you retain all the information that's being taught to you.

Read more
This one Apple Fitness feature completely changed how I exercise
Someone holding an iPhone with the Apple Fitness app open, showing the Custom Plans feature.

I have a confession to make: I'm not good at sticking to a workout routine. I love running, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, etc. In the moment of those exercises and in the post-workout euphoria, I feel amazing. But when it comes to waking up early in the morning to do these things before work? Well, that's where I really struggle.

This has been a problem for a while now. I go to bed with the goal of waking up early and going to the gym, but as I groggily open my eyes to snooze the alarm on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, I end up falling back asleep. And I've been repeating this over and over and over again.

Read more