Research in Motion (RIM) has opened up their upcoming iPad competitor, the BlackBerry PlayBook, to developers to begin bringing in apps for the BlackBerry App World.
The BlackBerry PlayBook is scheduled for release in early 2011 and is pushing for strong app development by rewarding successful developers with free PlayBooks.

Tyler Lessard, VP of Global Alliances & Developer Relations at RIM, touts the development capability of the product for its inclusion of support for Adobe AIR and Flash developers, HTML web developers, corporate developers and application hobbyists.

With Apple and Google thriving off their App Store and Market while competitors like Nokia’s Ovi lack in marketshare due to a lack of apps, RIM looks to be pushing for a successful applications platform to drive BlackBerry PlayBook popularity.

UK research company, YouGov revealed earlier this year that “the lack of available programmes, or ‘apps’, and perceived poor quality of the operating system,” was one of the key reasons consumers where switching from Nokia to other smartphone brands.

The clout of apps in the smartphone and tablet domain can be seen in the million dollar advertising revenue of popular game, Angry Birds. (see full story here)