One of the great things about the Android developer ecosystem is the success of mobile app aggregators. These aggregators help developers expand their app distribution to a larger audience. In anticipation for the launch of the BlackBerry® Runtime for Android apps in early 2012, mobile application aggregators will be able to submit the apps from their Android app catalogues to the BlackBerry App World™ storefront. If you are a developer who has submitted an Android application to an aggregator in the past, the aggregator should be in contact with you in the very near future to explain the process.

If you were planning to submit your application directly to BlackBerry App World yourself, take note that your direct submission will take precedence over, and the place of, the aggregator’s submission of your app. Direct submission of your app gives you direct control of your app’s meta data, including screen shots, application descriptions, and pricing.

Feel free to use our tool for packaging Android apps to convert your app to run on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet within your browser, or our BlackBerry Plug-in for Android Development Tools if you would like to make some changes in your code. To get all the latest info, tips, and news, visit our BlackBerry® Runtime for Android apps microsite.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s available in the 2.0 beta 1 release of the Native SDK:

• Added Sensors API (magnetometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer support) (device only for now, not available for the simulator at this time)
• Added Payment Service support for subscriptions and in-app purchasing
• IDE improvements in usability, performance, and reliability
• Scoreloop SDK 1.0 Beta 1 is included – try out some social game features for your apps, such as leaderboards

Please note that the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Developer Beta is available for developers and is NOT designed for consumer use. If you’ve installed this build and would like to return your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to the current version, check out our guide on the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog.

How to update your BlackBerry PlayBook OS to the Developer Beta Build

The information needed for native developers is being hosted off the Native SDK developer microsite. If you wish to upgrade your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to this Developer Beta release, you will need to register your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PIN using a form hosted on the microsite.

From the link to register your device PIN, simply enter your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PIN and your email address; review the Terms and Conditions and check the box to indicate your agreement; then click “Submit”.

Within an hour, you should see a icon in the status bar on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. You’ll have 24 hours to complete the upgrade, which can be done by following these simple steps:

1. Tap in the top-right corner of the screen
2. Tap “Software Updates”
3. Tap “Check for Updates”
4. Complete the update.
5. If the update is still not available after an hour, or you experience any issues with the update, please visit the support forums.

Keep on coding – and send us your feedback!