I know that devices from both brands are able to run Android apps because they include Android runtime.

However, I don't know the opinion from an user perspective in order to compare both options.

How well are supported Android apps? Android interface? ease to install apps? runtime support and updates?
compatibility with the TOH accesoriem such as the keyboard?
Any detail would be welcome, as I am considering both devices to buy.

About Google services, I don't like them so I will not miss Google cloud services, but I want the maximum of compatibility and control on Android system running in the device (if it were a rooted Android it would be nice

I don't use Android apps that much, but my experience has been as follows:

• Blackberry seems to check the apk's against their own servers, which should add an extra security
• Android apps work better on Jolla. I haven't come over an Android app that wouldn't work (I'm sure there are some, I just haven't come over them). On the other hand, Android apps on Blackberry break periodically - for example Czech news apps Novinky and iDnes break occasionally (it's a random coincidence to have them both working at the same time), or take minutes to launch.
• Blackberry has a nice option to hide the 'back' button.

This experience is not based on a big sample, but it's what it is. I would say the experience is quite similar in both environment, with Jolla being a bit better (which is quite surprising for me, but it may have something to do with Blackberry not being based on Linux).

EDIT: My experience is based on Z10 and Jolla.

I hope that people with actual experience with the Android apps running in both environments can answer as opposed to the folks that will respond quickly with "I'd never run Android apps" on my Jolla/BB10 device.

I have a BB Z10 and so far, the Android support for its UI - material design on some apps, non-Google apps - and some other games isn't bad. I can see that it's a step slower, some games stutter whereas on my Android device (OnePlus One, Nexus 9) they do not stutter at all.

It's quite easy to use some apps, like some calendars and to-do apps, as well as some others on my BB10 and the aforesaid performance issues are nonexistent.

However, I can only answer about Android apps on my BB10. I've never touched a Jolla device yet unfortunately.

I'm using a BB Z10 and a Jolla ...

as it comes to Android apps there are apps that won't run on the Jolla and apps that won't run on the BB

On the BB it works quite good with the Amazon store - but if you bought apps from Google you'll have to buy them again :-( - you can load paid-apps from the Play Store with Snap (you have to buy them with your browser!) but not every paid app is working and in-app-purchases don't work in most cases! All the apps that net the google-play-services won't work (or need patching - have a look at crackberrry forums)

On the Jolla more of the apps (I tried) are working (you can install Play Store and services if you like, so you can purchase apps directly - but be aware that you'll have some google on your device if you do that) but it seems as the Jolla is recognized as a rooted device, so some apps can't be installed (many banking apps for example)

So it definitely depends on your needs which Android runtime is better for you ...

Here you can find a list of working Android apps (an issues) for BlackBerry 10 (it's german but that should not be a problem as the names of the apps are international ;-) )

For Android apps on the Jolla search at TMO ;-)

I do have a Blackberry Z10 and Jolla. I use Jolla as my primary phone because it seems to be more comfortable to use.

Overall, most of what I need can be done without any Android app on Jolla. There are still a few things I have to depend on an Android app.

Navigation: I use Waze. It seems to work better on Jolla than the native app on Z10. It works great on Jolla. No issues.

Banking app. I use couple Bank apps and they works fine on Jolla.

Games. My kids constantly play many Android games on my Jolla. Minecraft, Candy Crush, Farmsville, Little Pony, etc. They all work great on Jolla. Many of these are available native on Z10. Jolla doesn't really have any nice native games.

Browser. I installed Firefox. It worked fine, but it is way more enjoyable to use native browsers than Android browsers, so I removed them. I think Chrome had an issue browsing. It opens, but browsing never works. I uninstalled them so I don't know if it was just an issue on my phone. I could be wrong about this.

Whatsapp. Unfortunately, my friends love it, so I have to use it too. It works fine on Jolla. Z10 has native app.

It is much easier to get Android stores going on Jolla than Z10. It takes some work to get snap on Z10. You can install Google Play Store (if you want) pretty easily. With that installed, automatic updates works fine for Android apps.

Side loading on Jolla os way easier than Z10 also. Just open the apk with the filemanager and hit install.

Overall, with my experience, Jolla implementation seems to be better.

I wish there were native apps for Whatsapp and Waze. Then I could leave Android shutdown (I don't think you can do this on z10) most of the day and start only when kids want to play games.

I only met up with a Jolla owner and played with it hands on.
I did pre-order it before and ended up cancelling it.
So my experience with it is very limited. And the Android compatibility always seemed lacking.

The BB Z10 was also a let down in terms of the Android compatibility.
It was a little more responsive, and not too buggy.
But compared to a native Android device, it can't compete.

However, using both devices natively is kind of weird.
The Z10 is very smooth, but the Jolla is smoother. Sometimes launching something takes longer on the Jolla than the Z10.

But overall, (native) Jolla felt like iOS smooth. And the Z10 felt more like WP smooth (quite smooth, but "could be better"). However, their Android compatibility experience is the opposite. With the Z10 feeling like a 4.0.3/NOTE era-device. And the Jolla feeling more like a 2.3.7/Nexus S era-device.

With that said, the BB Z10 does have more RAM and a newer/faster/better Processor.
So if the Jolla had the guts of the Z10, I think they would be equal, toe-to-toe.
The only thing that affects the BBX/Z10 is some extra features and security built into the OS, which slightly bloats it up compared to the rather clean SailOS.


With that all said and done, I think we need a modern SailOS phone.
The Nexus 5 is a great idea, but they treat it more as an experiment rather than a legitimate approach.
A final/stable build of SailOS would scream on the Nexus 5. And offering its much quicker Linux + Qt architecture would put the traction on that power.

I'm talking 2010 Core2Duo desktop performance, right in your pocket.

I use a Z10 as my daily driver. The android runtime has become better now after numerous OS updates .They are now faster than before .I have installed lot of android games as well as native games. The difference i find is in terms of battery life. Android apps somehow drains the battery much quicker. I have no idea about how it is in jolla , but from the reviews i read before deciding to go for Z10 , what i understood was , the runtime was now better in BB after lot of updates. Installing by just clicking the apkfile through filemanager is now possible in BB as well .And the free RAM of about 1.2 GB after booting also helps.
But i am not convinced about the extra layer of security that someone said. I haven't found anything like that.I could install anything and a lot of times i have ended up installing spam apps(Outside the appstore ofcourse). The apps that i have found to be not working are the ones which uses low level functinality .(Eg : droidVPN). It is a security feature for some and a weakness in the runtime for some.

Does either BB or Jolla have user control over the permissions that android apps can use? Eg prevent access to: network, phone info, contacts, gps etc?

I have both. IMHO Jolla's Android support is superior as it can run Google Play Services and BB10 can't (there is a BB10 port which doesn't run well and requires conversion of the apps that will use it). Jolla on the other hand is missing any Android Bluetooth support, which BB10 has working (for instance the Android Pebble app works okay).

Both devices have permissions support and run Android apps sandboxed. I think BB10 does that a bit better.

Yes, you can do that on BB10. But you need to install Cobalt's Blackberry Google ID.