BlackBerry Priv Android Apps start to hit Google Play

The BlackBerry Priv is the first ever Android-powered smartphone from BlackBerry and is currently available to pre-order in the UK, US and Canada from ShopBlackBerry.

While the Priv sticks as close to stock Android as much as possible, it does come with a lot of BlackBerry Android apps.

Quite a few of those BlackBerry Android apps on the Priv are now appearing on the Google Play Store, although one notable missing exception is currently the BlackBerry Hub.

All of the apps are free but are showing as “incompatible” with the Android devices I tried them with today.

The fact that these apps are available on the Play Store would suggest that they can be removed and re-installed from the Priv and that BlackBerry are taking bloatware into consideration.

The following apps are “available” on the Google Play Store.

BlackBerry Camera

The BlackBerry Camera is optimised for the Schneider-Kreuznach® certified camera on PRIV. Take professional-quality photos with minimal effort! Creativity comes naturally when taking photos is this simple, and when your results are this beautiful.

The BlackBerry Camera includes professional settings that you can apply as you frame the scene, including live filter effects and exposure control. Features like Phase Detection Auto Focus, OIS and a dual-colour flash help the camera focus instantly, deliver feedback to you quickly and capture crisp, vibrant photos, even in low light

Download BlackBerry Camera from Google Play

DTEK by BlackBerry

In this world of interconnected apps and networks, controlling what is shared and who it’s shared with can be a challenge. BlackBerry DTEK for Android allows you to view and improve your privacy level and monitor application access to your camera, microphone, location and personal information. Take control with DTEK by BlackBerry.

Key Features:

Monitor: Know at a glance the overall security rating for your device, as well as for specific security features. You can identify whether or not you need to take any action to improve the security of your device.
Control: Easily change your security settings to improve the security rating for your device and specific security features.
Track: Turn on event logging to track what your apps are doing. Advanced tools help you track what info your apps have accessed, how it’s being used and the duration of use. This includes which apps are accessing your camera, microphone, location and personal information.
Alert: Be notified of specific application activities when you set up notifications.

Download DTEK by BlackBerry from Google Play

BlackBerry Keyboard

The PRIV by BlackBerry gives you the freedom to choose between a virtual touch screen keyboard or a physical keyboard for speed and accuracy.

Snap the slider open to dismiss the touch screen keyboard and free up valuable screen space. A full physical keyboard is revealed that also doubles as a touch sensitive track pad for scrolling and fine cursor control. You can even map the physical keys to shortcuts that launch device features.

The BlackBerry Keyboard includes a number of components that work together to deliver an optimal user input experience:

A reinvented physical keyboard that optimizes accuracy, ergonomic comfort and precise control.
A market disrupting touch sensitive keyboard to help you get things done fast.
A complementary set of on-screen virtual keyboards for touch interaction and fast access to the most critical text elements
An intelligent input engine that allows the keyboard to learn and remember words you type often and then offer them as next-word suggestions.
A set of software capabilities that allows shortcuts to user-defined words and phrases, and more

Key Features:

Quick and easy creation of text with the renowned BlackBerry Keyboard, featuring auto correction, next word prediction and a Personal Dictionary.
More efficiency through learning and personalization. The keyboard gets more accurate over time as it learns your style and word selection.
Text Selection and Fine Cursor Control make it easy to format your work properly and give it a polished and professional appearance.
Settings that put you in control of your keyboard experience.

Download BlackBerry Keyboard from Google Play

BlackBerry Launcher

The BlackBerry Launcher application enables you to:

Easily turn multi-step tasks such as sending an email or calling a friend into a one-click task.
Find, sort and place applications, widgets and shortcuts across home screen panels for convenient access.
Widgets are a great way to get information quickly, but can take up a lot of space on your home screen. BlackBerry Pop-Up Widgets allow you to view any application widget by simply swiping up or down across the icon on your home screen, giving you fast access to the information you need, when you need it.
Use keyboard shortcuts to launch applications or tasks, such as tapping to launch your Browser.
Customise the look and feel of your device using icon packs, and more

Download BlackBerry Launcher from Google Play

BlackBerry Password Keeper

The BlackBerry Password Keeper application allows you to keep all of your passwords, login information and important records safe and secure. BlackBerry Password Keeper allows you to store all of these records in a single location for easy access and reference. Your information is encrypted using AES-256 and protected by a single password of your choice.

Plus if you have Password Keeper records from a previous BlackBerry 10 device, you can easily import all of your records and start using the app right away.

Key Features:

Easily import Password Keeper records from a previous BlackBerry 10 device
Create, edit and delete records
Generate random passwords
Set records as favourites
Check that your passwords are strong using the password strength meter

Download BlackBerry Password Keeper from Google Play

BlackBerry Services

BlackBerry Services is the foundation upon which all of your favourite BlackBerry applications are built. It provides both enhanced security and improved productivity.

Key Features:

Enjoy a more consistent experience across your BlackBerry applications, including common menus that allow you to open items in other BlackBerry applications.
Manages the data for all BlackBerry Productivity Suite applications, providing secure and efficient access to your most critical data. This includes the sync logic that obtains your data from the Internet, seamlessly keeping your device up-to-date.
Delivers an enhanced level of security, by partitioning your applications into Work and Personal perimeters.

Download BlackBerry Services from Google Play

MicrosoftexFAT for BlackBerry

SDXC Cards store data in a different format, versus previous generation SD cards. This application lets you unlock the full potential of your SDXC Card for your BlackBerry smartphone.

Key Features: