RIM has added a number of features to its BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps, which allows developers to port Android apps to the PlayBook OS.

There is now API support for camera and in-app payments, widening the range of Android apps that the runtime supports and giving developers another way to monetise their apps. In-app payments will be carried out through BlackBerry App World using existing sign-in IDs.

Another new feature is multi-window support, which allows apps to launch in separate windows to help with multitasking. Native BlackBerry 10 apps already include this.

The features are already available in the beta version of BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and will be included in a PlayBook update later in the summer.

According to the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog, thousands of apps have been ported and posted on the BlackBerry App World app store since the Runtime was launched as part of the PlayBook OS 2.0 update in February.