Google fixes broken YouTube app on BlackBerry 7, 7.1 devices

Even as BlackBerry 10 becomes the centre of attention at Waterloo, Ontario, those who have stood by the previous version of the OS have had to endure tough times. Loyal BlackBerry fans, who have been using the OS religiously even through Android and iOS dominance, have had to settle for seconds.

A Slashgear report earlier today said that users of BlackBerry 7 and 7.1 OS were not able to view YouTube videos on their phones. Reportedly, users can open the app and also search for videos, but cannot play it. The error has been attributed to the YouTube app, however, and not the OS itself. CrackBerry is now reporting that Google has issued a fix for this problem and YouTube is back for the affected devices.

YouTube is back for older BlackBerry handsets

CrackBerry’s report says, “If you were having issues watching YouTube videos on your BlackBerry phone (the issues began this past Thursday, only messing up OS 7.1 / 7 devices), give it a go now. Things should be working per usual once again.”

Before Google’s fix for the issue, however, BlackBerry users were reporting that one can email the link to the videos to themselves and play it. That was the only way to view high-definition videos on these devices at the time. Another option for BB 7/7.1 users was to download the Opera app, which is able to play YouTube videos in-browser. However, this method was limited as the browser can only play standard-definition videos.

BlackBerry 5 and 6 users had no reason to complain, however. Mysteriously, the YouTube app worked error-free on their devices. And most importantly, the issue hasn’t plagued users of the brand new BlackBerry Z10. The hugely popular device has been selling well in the grey market, where its price has fallen to Rs 49,500. But those willing to wait a few more days only have to hold on till February 25, when the handset will be officially launched in the country.

Here’s a quick look at the specs of the device:

• 4.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 768
• LTE, 3G, EDGE, Wi-Fi, NFC
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP
• 8-megapixel AF camera with 1080p recording; 2-megapixel front facing camera with 720p recording
• 16GB internal memory, expandable up to 64GB via microSD
• MicroHDMI for AV out

The phone is powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4470 processor and has 2GB of RAM. It also has a decent-but-not-great 1800mAh battery.