BlackBerry 10 is the next generation proprietary mobile operating system, developed by BlackBerry Limited (formerly Research In Motion) for its BlackBerry line of smartphone and tablet handheld devices.[3][4][5] It is based on QNX which was acquired by BlackBerry in April 2010. The platform was originally called BBX but this was changed when BlackBerry was blocked from using the BBX trademark after legal action from BASIS International, who already uses it for their software.[6] BlackBerry CEO, Thorsten Heins, has said that the company is considering licensing BB 10 to other OEMs. Two BlackBerry 10 smartphones are being released throughout Q1 of 2013. On November 12, 2012, Heins announced a January 30, 2013 launch of the BB10 system.[7] The operating system, as well as two devices, the Z10 (a full touchscreen device) and the Q10 (a device equipped with a physical keyboard), was announced simultaneously around the world on January 30, 2013.[8]
User interface
On 1 May 2012, Thorsten Heins, CEO of BlackBerry officially unveiled the BlackBerry 10 platform. The features shown off at the BlackBerry World conference included a unique platform-wide flow interface, a new intelligent keyboard, as well as a camera app which allows the user to adjust the photo or individual faces by moving through time scale to optimize picture quality.[9] The user interface also includes the ability to run 8 "Active Frames". Active Frames are applications that are currently running within the operating system, but minimized and showing a feed of live information on the home screen.[10] The Operating System also features the 'Hub', a list accessible from anywhere in the OS where all notifications including emails, social networking sites and text messages in one complete list.[11]
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.[12] 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.[12] 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.[12] Some apps also offer widget like functionality, similar to Android.[12] Examples of this include, picture app cycling through a photo album or calendar app showing upcoming events and meetings. Most accessed apps are also view-able to users on this multitasking screen. [12]
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), Facebook, 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.[12] 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.[12]
BlackBerry Balance
BlackBerry Balance is an 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 Server 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. [12]
Keyboard
BlackBerry 10 features a new virtual keyboard layout that mimics BlackBerry’s past generation’s physical keyboards.[13] The letters and numbers feature fonts and frets similar to past BlackBerry device. The keyboard also learns the user’s typing preferences, trying to auto-predict the next word.[12] 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.[14][15]
Specifications
The BlackBerry 10 L-Series, Z10, full touchscreen devices has a dual core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 (Texas Instruments OMAP 4470 processor for emerging markets), and a 4.2-inch display with 1280×768 resolution at 356 pixels per inch (PPI).[16] Connectivity options will include NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n). The phone includes 8 megapixel (MP) AF rear facing camera with 1080p HD recording and a 2 megapixel front facing camera with 720p HD video recording, with support for microHDMI. One of the main and new features of Blackberry 10 is the Blackberry Hub. 2 GB RAM and a removable microSD card (up to 64 GB) will be available. The Q10, the QWERTY keyboard model, has identical specifications apart from the screen resolution, which is 720×720 pixel.[16]
Prototypes
A developer prototype known as Dev Alpha A was given out to BlackBerry developers as part of the BlackBerry 10 Jam Conference in Orlando, Florida. This prototype is intended to help boost the ecosystem when BlackBerry 10 launches in Q1 of 2013 by giving developers a physical device on which to test. RIM has clearly indicated that this is in no way the finished product.[17]
A second developer prototype was released in September 2012, known as the Dev Alpha B. It includes a faster processor and a number of internal improvements. Again, this device is not claimed as a finished unit, but is generally considered to be closer to the final BB10 devices than the original Dev unit.
A third developer device, the Dev Alpha C, was announced on November 29, 2012, and is the first developer prototype to demonstrate the physical keyboard capabilities of BlackBerry 10. Acquisition of a Dev Alpha C device is based around a point system, meaning that developers who have previously developed apps for RIM, or have had the Dev Alpha A/B devices, will have a higher chance of receiving a device than a new BlackBerry developer. It was released on January 30, 2013.
Release of devices
The operating system was released on January 30, 2013, with two devices being announced, the Z10 and the Q10. The Z10 phone would be the first to be released, and featured a full touchscreen, whilst the Q10, featuring a physical keyboard, would be released at a later date. The Z10 was released on the 31st January in the UK, the 5th February in Canada, and will be released in late-March in the USA. It was well received by critics, most commenting on how the new OS has completely evolved from Blackberry's previous devices, and the 'flow'-like connectivity between all applications.[18] In the UK, it was also commercially successful, with the white Z10 out of stock in under 1 week of release, and the earlier-released black Z10 was struggling to restock.[19] (One analyst report attributes this to scarcity of stock, around 15 units per retailer, rather than high demand.[1]) In Canada, initial sales were record high for Blackberry, beating any previous model.[20] BlackBerry also mentioned that BlackBerry 10 OS software will be released for the BlackBerry PlayBook soon after BlackBerry 10 releases.
Applications
At the time of the release, BlackBerry 10 operating system had 70,000 applications. Pre-launch "Portathons" held by Blackberry have received up to 15,000 applications submitted per weekend.[21] Blackberry 10 also features a handful of stock apps that help users perform various tasks and activities. These apps include maps, Web browser, Remember (Sticky notes app), Docs to Go, Story Maker (video and music stitching app) , calculator, clock, weather, and file manager. Cloud service integrations like Box and Dropbox are also integrated by default. [12]