BlackBerry wants law that requires developers to support BB10

Apps and content should be available for all platforms. BlackBerry CEO John Chen pleads for this in a letter to the US Congress. Chen advocates “app neutrality,” in addition to net neutrality.

In his letter to a number of committees of the US Congress, Chen complains that Apple and Netflix, among others, do not release apps for the BlackBerry platform. “Netflix has vigorously defended net neutrality, but discriminates against BlackBerry users by refusing to allow them access to its video streaming service,” Chen wrote. While BlackBerry has released its Messenger service for competitors, the CEO emphasizes.

The BlackBerry CEO is disturbed by the fact that many apps only come out for iOS and Android. According to Chen, this creates an ecosystem that consists of only two branches, with iOS and Android users able to access many more apps and content than users of other platforms, including that of BlackBerry. “This is exactly the kind of discriminatory practice that seeks to eradicate net neutrality at the carrier level,” Chen claims.

Neutrality should therefore also be mandatory at the level of apps and content, the BlackBerry CEO writes. “All wireless internet users should have access to legal apps and content, and app and content creators should be banned from discriminating against users based on their operating system.”

Update, 11:36: The lead initially contained the sentence: “There should be a legal obligation to develop apps for BlackBerry as well.” That was too short sighted. Instead, BlackBerry CEO John Chen advocates for apps and content to be available for all platforms. The article has been edited.