What is Blackberry OS? Advantages and disadvantages of Blackberry OS

Blackberry was a significant player in the 2000s. However, in 2016, the company announced its exit from the hardware business. Despite signaling a potential comeback in the smartphone market with their iconic QWERTY keyboard and 5G support, the plans ultimately fell through. While 5G support might have given the brand a chance at revival, it was challenging to compete with the dominance of Android and iOS. On January 4 2023, Blackberry officially shut down its OS, email, and messaging services, marking the end of an era. Let’s learn about Blackberry OS with Getnada through the article below.

What is Blackberry OS

The Blackberry Operating System (OS), as indicated by its name, was a specialized OS crafted for Blackberry Limited’s smartphones. This OS was engineered to provide multitasking capabilities and support various hardware features like a trackball, trackwheel, and more recently, a trackpad and touchscreen.

Utilizing Java Micro Edition MIDP 2.0, the system facilitated corporate email integration, enabling synchronization and full activation with Microsoft Exchange, Novell GroupWise email, notes, contacts, and more when paired with Blackberry Enterprise Server.

Additionally, the OS supported automatic updates via Wireless Carriers that offered the OTASL (Over The Air Software Loading) service. Developers created applications using the available Blackberry classes, though certain functionalities required the applications to be signed for full access.

What is a Smartphone? When did the first Smartphone come out.

History of the Blackberry Operating System

Blackberry made its debut with the Blackberry 850 pager after releasing version 1. Later on, the Blackberry OS released version 4 with the 5810 smartphone.

It was the first version that supported Java applications. RIM (Research In Motion) announced Blackberry OS version 6.0, which supported WebKit-based browsers, in April 2010.

Blackberry version 7 was a major update, bringing many new features at once. These included a web browser that supported HTML5 video playback and ‘Liquid Graphics,’ which improved touchscreen performance and voice search, among others. RIM announced this update would be exclusive and not released for current devices.

It was released for new models such as the BOLD 9900 and 9930 and Torch 9810 and 9860. In January 2012, Blackberry OS version 7.2 was released, featuring Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi calling, and Blackberry Tag. Blackberry Tag enabled users to share images using NFC.

Blackberry Limited also announced a new QNX-based platform, Blackberry Tablet OS, an operating system for the Blackberry Playbook tablet. Later, Blackberry OS was merged with Blackberry Tablet OS and delivered universally across all product lines. They also provided support for running Android applications installed through the Blackberry App World store. By June 2013, 2.3 million Playbooks had been shipped, and by the end of the month, the CEO announced the end of the platform.

Features of Blackberry OS

Blackberry 10 supported the Qt framework version 4.8 and also featured support for Adobe AIR.

Additionally, Blackberry included an Android runtime for running Android applications installed via Blackberry World.

The user interface offered numerous gestures for navigating the device without the need for physical buttons, except for the power button used to turn the device on or off.

A physical keyboard was included, allowing users to type, navigate, and launch applications using shortcuts.

The active frame functioned as a widget-like feature where an app minimized to an abstract view when returning to the home screen, similar to Android widgets.

Blackberry introduced a virtual keyboard that suggested words and provided multiple gesture controls.

Blackberry Assistant, a voice-activated assistant, was also introduced to perform tasks based on voice commands or typed queries.

Blackberry Link enabled synchronization between a Blackberry device and a computer, allowing updates and backups.

BB10 included the Blackberry Hub, a centralized location for managing all conversations, both personal and professional.

Blackberry Balance, an application within BB10, managed and separated personal data from work applications.

Reading Mode was another new feature that enhanced the reading experience by removing ads and focusing solely on the text. Users could customize the font size and invert colors for a dark mode to reduce eye strain.

For quick access to favorite websites, Blackberry offered the ‘Add to Home Screen’ feature, creating shortcuts directly on the home screen.

The time-shift camera, a notable feature, captured multiple shots in a single picture, allowing users to select the best one. This feature is also available on Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2, where it is known as Best Faces.

Advantages and disadvantages of Blackberry OS

Here are the pros and cons of Blackberry OS

Advantages of Blackberry OS

Devices running Blackberry OS are highly suitable for official purposes, offering essential tools for professionals and corporations such as email, SMS, calendar integration, and connectivity with MS Office mail servers.

Similar to Apple’s iOS, Blackberry OS is exclusive to RIM devices, which enhances its reliability.

The security provided by Blackberry OS is so robust that it led to a ban in some countries, as the secured email servers prevented government surveillance.

Blackberry users take pride in their devices due to the ‘Push Email technology,’ enabling instant sending and receiving of messages.

Moreover, Blackberry OS can compress data to half its original size, a beneficial feature for corporate users looking to optimize data usage.

Disadvantages of the Blackberry Operating System

Similar to Apple, RIM created an app store for their devices called the Blackberry App World store (later known as the Blackberry Store). However, unlike Apple’s success, it struggled to attract developers to create apps for the Blackberry platform.

While Blackberry OS offered a functional browser, it was notably slow in loading wallpapers and pictures, which often frustrated users.

Blackberry’s primary focus on corporate users meant that they overlooked the needs of the average daily user. As a result, many users quickly became bored with their devices, leading to lower retention rates.

Blackberry required users to invest in their enterprise software to unlock the full potential of their devices, effectively forcing an additional investment.

Although Blackberry provided strong functionality, it lacked a more polished User Interface, causing the average user to lose interest quickly.

Updating the Blackberry operating system was also a challenging task, making it inconvenient for users to keep their devices up-to-date.

The platform was less open than Android, making it difficult for developers to create new applications.

Additionally, if a Blackberry device connected to a computer with an SD card mounted was accidentally disconnected, the contents of the SD card could become corrupted.