BlackBerry's Qwerty Q10 gets Skype, WhatsApp
Skype for BlackBerry's new Qwerty-packing Q10 has arrived on the BlackBerry World app store, just ahead of the handset's launch in some markets on 1 May.
The app, made by Skype and not BlackBerry, has launched as a preview version that currently only supports the Q10 and not its all-touch cousin, the Z10.
Skype warned in its announcement that the BlackBerry 10 OS app may have a few wrinkles yet and says that "experiences are not yet final". Like many BlackBerry 10 apps, the new Skype app is based on Skype's existing app for Android.
The app offers the usual set of features, such as face to face video and voice calls, instant messages and calls to landline and mobiles over wi-fi or wireless connections.
Skype runs on BlackBerry OS 10.1, and will launch on the BlackBerry Z10 in the "coming weeks", according to BlackBerry. The owners of the latter device will be able to download the app and wait for a support update.
WhatsApp also launched this week for both the Z10 and Q10, and runs on 10.0 or higher.
BlackBerry has been trying to fill its app store with more popular apps for BB 10 devices, and reached the 100,000 mark in March, thanks in part to ports from Android.