Crackberry.com (CB) has recently been tipped off on the upcoming feature sets of the upcoming QNX based smartphone OS, Blackberry 10. The images below suggest zealous design changes from the team of The Astonishing Tribe {TAT}.CB mentions that the leaked documents seem to have come from partners, but the images sure look convincing. Judging by the leaked photos, one of the most exciting feature expected on the new OS is the implementation of home screen widgets on the devices. True that the widgets look like a cross between Android widgets and Windows Phone tiles, they do look sexy and extremely functional. It also seems to be safe to assume that the Blackberry OS shall also have multiple home screens, especially since it seems one can't accommodate more than 4 widgets on one single screen, unless the widgets' sizes are adjustable.
The menu screen of the OS looks very much alike the PlayBook OS 2.0. It even has similar implementation of folders, with 4 random app icons visible on top. The pictures icon does look refurbished, with a random image from the albums visible as the cover art of the icon. What is interesting to note is that there is already a Cut the Rope application icon in the menu list, which surely suggests that the hugely popular game shall be available on Blackberry 10 right from launch.
Speaking of apps, one serious concern I have, and hopefully the RIM execs too, is whether the current crop of applications would be able to run on the new operating system. Since the whole backbone and the architecture of the smartphones have been rehashed, I truly doubt so. Which gets me to the question, what happens to the apps Blackberry users have already bought? What adds to the injury is the fact that RIM apps have traditionally been much costlier than those on other platforms. And, I doubt many Blackberry users shall be happy to lose the support for apps that they have paid through their noses for.
The neat and sexy UI of phone call indicates that video calling is not too far for Blackberry devices, unless RIM decides to make that feature possible only between BB devices (maybe via BBM), the way it did with the video calling feature on the PlayBook.
Nonetheless, it must be noted that the platform still looks promising, and the rate at which the number of quality apps are growing for the PlayBook, I am hopeful the BB platform shall surely be a good contender for a third place, with Microsoft, if though it's time is pretty over as far as the top 2 positions in the smartphone market goes.
Microsoft, time to buckle up!
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