Research in Motion (RIM), has announced that it will be launching its awaited BlackBerry 10 OS on January 30, 2013. The event will happen simultaneously in multiple countries around the world. Though the company has not mentioned the exact countries but it is expected that India will be amongst the first few countries to see the new BlackBerry OS along with United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
At this launch event, RIM will not only be showcasing the brand new operating system but will also be launching new smartphones powered by the OS.
This day will mark the official launch of its new platform - BlackBerry 10, as well as the unveiling of the first two BlackBerry 10 smartphones. The
pictures and videos of the first BlackBerry smartphone have already been posted on various websites.
Some of the features that the BlackBerry 10 smartphones will offer include BlackBerry Flow, BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry Balance, and the BlackBerry Keyboard. BlackBerry Hub is the focus point for the new operating system. It is the place where all messages, notifications, feeds, and calendar events can be seen. Also, one can access the Hub with a simple gesture at any time no matter what you are doing with the smartphone. BlackBerry Flow is a new user experience that allows one to see minimised windows on their screens and show all the currently running apps.
The new BlackBerry keyboard learns how you write and adapts to your typing habits.
Apart from this, there have also been rumours that the BlackBerry 10 smartphone will add
video chat feature to its popular BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service.
"In building BlackBerry 10, we set out to create a truly unique mobile computing experience that constantly adapts to your needs. Our team has been working tirelessly to bring our customers innovative features combined with a best in class browser, a rich application ecosystem, and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities. All of this will be integrated into a user experience - the BlackBerry Flow - that is unlike any smartphone on the market today," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of Research In Motion. "Thanks to our strong partnerships with global carriers and a growing ecosystem of developers, we believe our customers will have the best experience possible with BlackBerry 10. We are looking forward to getting BlackBerry 10 in the hands of our customers around the world."
RIM had recently announced that its smartphone was currently being
tested by operators around the world and is on track for release in the first quarter of 2013.
The Canadian-smartphone maker has also won the U.S. government
security clearance for its BlackBerry 10 devices. This FIPS certification, is one of the minimum criteria for products used by U.S. government agencies and regulated industries that collect, store, transfer, share and disseminate sensitive information.
RIM may have announced the date when it will be showcasing its smartphone, but has not revealed when these smartphone will actually be available in stores.