BlackBerry OS is a proprietary mobile operating system developed by BlackBerry Ltd. for its BlackBerry line of smartphone handheld devices. The operating system provides multitasking and supports specialized input devices that have been adopted by BlackBerry Ltd. for use in its handhelds, particularly the trackwheel, trackball, and most recently, the trackpad and touchscreen.
The BlackBerry platform is perhaps best known for its native support for corporate email, through MIDP 1.0 and, more recently, a subset of MIDP 2.0, which allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise email, calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts, when used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The operating system also supports WAP 1.2.
Updates to the operating system may be automatically available from wireless carriers that support the BlackBerry over the air software loading (OTASL) service.
Third-party developers can write software using the available BlackBerry API classes, although applications that make use of certain functionality must be digitally signed.
Research from June 2011 indicates that approximately 45% of mobile developers were using the platform at the time of publication.
BlackBerry OS was discontinued after the release of BlackBerry 10.
Blackberry Hub being viewed from Blackberry World on a Blackberry Z10
Features.
Gestures.
Gestures are largely integrated within the BlackBerry 10, featuring four main gestures for easy navigation.Quick swiping up from the bottom edge of the bezel will result in users returning to the home screen. From there, users can view and close active applications. Users can also swipe from the top edge, to bring down a quick setting shade on the home screen, or an option shade on other supported apps. Also, while using any application, the upside down J-hook (starting from the bottom of the bezel and moving upward and right) allows users to peek at any notifications or messages on the BlackBerry Hub.Finally, swiping left to right (or vice versa) scroll through the available screens.Multitasking.
Similar to BlackBerry Tablet OS, BlackBerry 10 OS also supports multitasking with gesture integration. Swiping up from any application brings up the running application screen, which function as an application switcher and a task manager. Users can switch through running applications by tapping on any of the apps or close them by tapping on the ‘X’ on the lower right of the app itself.Some apps also offer widget like functionality, similar to Android.Examples of this include, picture app cycling through a photo album or calendar app showing upcoming events and meetings. Users are currently limited to 8 running applications, which are displayed from most to least recently accessed.BlackBerry Hub.
BlackBerry Hub acts as a notification center, with the user’s entire social and email accounts integrated into one app. These include, at launch, standard E-mail client, Twitter, Facebook, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), and LinkedIn (with options to turn any of these services off). Standard notifications like missed calls, voicemail, and system updates also appear on the hub. The hub can be accessible from any app/lock screen, by performing an upside down j-hook gesture.Users can perform various tasks like compose emails, send emails, and browse social networks, without accessing other apps. Developers are also given options to integrate apps into the Blackberry Hub.BlackBerry Balance.
BlackBerry Balance is a new feature introduced in BlackBerry 10, enabling users to keep both personal data and office work data separated in its own spaces. Using Blackberry Enterprise Service 10, IT departments can allow users to set up work-spaces that automatically install applications and email accounts. After completion, users can navigate between personal and work profiles, by swiping down on the apps page. All of the user’s data is secured via 256-bit AES encryption, and any files created will stay within the profile partition.Time shift camera.
BlackBerry 10 features camera software that takes multiple frames of every photo. This feature allows users to adjust a photo easily to correct issues such as closed eyes.BlackBerry's popular messaging application now includes the ability to video chat as well as the ability to share the contents of a user's BlackBerry screen with others.
Android player.
BlackBerry 10 introduced an Android runtime layer. This allows developers to easily package and distribute their applications designed to work on the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) and below operating system. Gingerbread, however, is showing signs of age with waning usage. Less than 46% of Android devices connected to the Play store are running 2.3 or below.Because of this, Blackberry officially announced that it will soon update the runtime layer to include compatibility with Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) APIs.Keyboard.
BlackBerry 10 features a new virtual keyboard layout that mimics BlackBerry’s past generation’s physical keyboards.The letters and numbers feature fonts and frets similar to previous BlackBerry devices. The keyboard also learns the user’s typing preferences, trying to auto-predict the next word.The keyboard also uses contextual information to predict the next letter in a word sequence. In this case, words will appear above the letter that the OS thinks that the user will touch next. Users can then perform a flicking upwards gesture above the letter to quickly select that word.Also, swiping from right to left in keyboard deletes the entire word rather than using backspace to delete each character.Voice control.
Voice Control was also introduced in BB10, allowing users to send BBMs, schedule meetings, update social networks, and open apps using natural speech patterns. Voice control can also be used for typing on any screen that accepts keyboard input.BlackBerry Link.
BlackBerry Link allows users to sync and organize music, documents, photos, and videos between a BB10 device and a computer. It is compatible with Mac and PC, and supports iTunes and Windows Media Player. Syncs are done over Wi-Fi or USB. Blackberry Link also facilitates device switches from Android and iOS as well as BB10 software updates.Link transfers contacts, files, calendars, tasks, bookmarks, alarm clocks, SMS, phone logs, WLAN profiles and other information between devices.Applications.
Bundled applications.
BlackBerry 10 features a number of included applications that help users perform various tasks and activities. These include maps, Web browser, Remember (Sticky notes app), Docs to Go, Story Maker (video and music stitching app), calculator, clock, music, media, weather, and file manager. Cloud service integrations like Box and Dropbox are also integrated by default. In addition, BlackBerry's popular messaging service, BlackBerry Messenger is included with BlackBerry 10.Third-party applications.
At the time of the release in January 2013, BlackBerry 10 operating system had 70,000 third party applications. This represents a substantial increase over the BlackBerry PlayBook which launched with only 3,000 third party applications.In end of March 2013, BlackBerry 10 has 100,000 apps, but still less of imaging favorites like Instagram and Snapseed.At BlackBerry Live 2013, BlackBerry announced that they had surpassed 120,000 apps, and that Skype would become available on the BlackBerry Z10.Distribution.
Unlike the previous BlackBerry OS (but similar to the BlackBerry PlayBook), applications must be downloaded through BlackBerry's BlackBerry World storefront, which comes included with BlackBerry 10.Devices.
BlackBerry Android Priv
BlackBerry Leap
BlackBerry Passport
BlackBerry Z3 Solo
BlackBerry Z30 White
BlackBerry Z10
Reviews.
Reviews of BlackBerry 10 have been generally positive. David Pogue of the New York Times noted that the software was, “simple to master, elegantly designed and surprisingly complete. It offers features nobody else offers, some tailored to the corporate world that raised BlackBerry aloft in its glory days.”Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal referred to the operating system as “logical and generally easy to use”. Mossberg praised the virtual keyboard, camera software, and messaging hub; but criticized its application ecosystem, cloud capabilities and the immaturity of some features. Gizmodo's Kyle Wagner states that BlackBerry 10's home screen "gives BB10 the single best implementation of multitasking of any mobile OS right now". Wagner goes on to say that the Hub "works out to function a bit more like a junk drawer". He also reports what he refers to as the "Tragic Flaw": "Unlike every other major OS right now, BlackBerry does not feel fully integrated."In comparison to that, CrackBerry.com views the new features more positively and takes into account the fact that the OS is brand new. It says that the BlackBerry Hub “is a polished solution to efficiently managing the influx of messages we have coming at us...". It goes on to mention minor discrepancies and finally pointing out that many of the problems are getting fixed in future updates (some now released, e.g. battery life improvements, call ringtone disabled in bedside mode).It criticises the limited customisability options compared to BlackBerry OS (Alert tone volumes, alert light colour). Regarding the apps in BlackBerry World "really impressed by the quality of apps BlackBerry World has to offer", it notes that the application ecosystem is not as large as Android and iOS because of its age (brand new) and finishes with "doubtlessly many more will come around once they see the Z10 getting traction in the wild." Its general summary of BlackBerry 10 (with thought for its predecessor) "is that BlackBerry 10 really is the best of the old and the best of the new assembled seamlessly into an elegant, practical, and integrated package."
Version history.
Version.
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Release Date.
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Improvements/New features
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10.0.9.348
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(BlackBerry 10 release version)
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See BlackBerry 10 for features.
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3rd party app performanceImproved -
|
||
Fixes for Gmail calendars
|
||
Improved - BlackBerry Hub - Call logs and how conversations are handled
|
||
10.0.10.85
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March 1, 2013
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Camera - In low light conditions
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Improved - Browser - How it handles video playback
|
||
Improved - Battery life - Over 60 power saving improvements made
|
BlackBerry 10.1.
Version.
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Release Date.
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Improvements/New features
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PIN to PIN messaging
|
||
Improved attachment support
|
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Custom notifications
|
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10.1.0.273
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May 14, 2013
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HDR Camera
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Fine cursor control
|
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Remote file access to computers
|
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Allows password paste into system fields
|
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10.1.0.2006
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June 10, 2013
|
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10.1.0.2014
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June 18, 2013
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Fix for random software reboots
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10.1.0.2019
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July 9, 2013
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BlackBerry 10.2.
Version.
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Release Date.
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Improvements/New features
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Headless Apps
|
||
USB Host Capability
|
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WiFi Direct and Miracast
|
||
Flurry Analytics
|
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10.2.x.xxxx
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In Development
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Smart cards
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Altimeter
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Geofencing
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Android Jelly Bean Support
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Multiple Alarms
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Level 1 Notifications
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Task Manager
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Screen Reader Mode
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simple Screen lock
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