RIM to Unveil New Operating System in January
Posted on Nov 26th 2012
Next month RIM will introduce its latest operating system, BlackBerry 10, which will expand functionality of BlackBerry OS to compete with top consumer operating systems like iOS and Android. While the update will have consumer-friendly upgrades like high-quality media viewing, a larger app store and an updated browser, many of the functions are geared toward the business market.
Users' communication (text messages and emails from multiple accounts), feeds, notifications and calendar are stored in one place, called the Hub, which is accessed by swiping to the right or left across the screen at any time. While viewing their calendars, users can easily access the profile of anyone with whom they have a scheduled meeting or lunch date. A contact's profile shows job title, company, contact information and how the user met his or her contact. BlackBerry Balance gives users the ability to have split profiles, one for personal use and one for work, with a security firewall between the two. IT departments can remotely wipe company data on the work profile if necessary without affecting personal data.
As BlackBerry 10 has not been officially unveiled, the full scope of the operating system is not yet known. Here's a little more of what we do know:
- Phones running BB10 can be woken up by dragging a finger toward the top of the screen; pressing the power button is not required.
- RIM announced a touchscreen keyboard that predicts words, which users can then, using a finger, "send" up to the text field (we're imagining an animated flinging motion). Photos of a tactile keyboard have been leaked but not confirmed by RIM.
- The camera captures multiple images with one camera click and lets users choose the best image.
- Users can quickly switch between apps, as any open app is minimized but still visible on the phone's screen.
- BlackBerry App World will carry media, including music, movies and television.
- RIM is courting developers in the hopes of an app store with a wide variety of options for consumers.
RIM will release two smartphones running BlackBerry 10, called the L series and the N series. If reports prove to be true, the L series will be a touchscreen phone and the N series will feature a QWERTY keyboard. One or both of these phones will be released in February. RIM will make its official announcement at a media event Jan. 30, 2013.