RIM Announces BlackBerry 7 OS
In its never-ending effort to keep up with the dominance of iOS and Android platforms, Research In Motion has announced the latest version of its BlackBerry mobile operating system, BlackBerry 7 OS.
BlackBerry 7 OS was announced alongside two new versions of the BlackBerry Bold smartphones.
"The new BlackBerry Bold smartphones and BlackBerry 7 OS are inspired by millions of customers around the world who want the ultimate combination of performance, functionality and style," Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO of Research In Motion, said in a statement.
BlackBerry 7 OS started out as the 6.1 version update to BlackBerry 6 OS, but it quickly evolved beyond a simple update and RIM decided to spin it off as a completely new version of the BlackBerry OS .
This new operating system is supposed to address customer complaints about the clunky interface that isn't aging well in an era of touch-screen smartphones. BlackBerry 7 OS will have a faster interface, a "significantly enhanced" mobile browser that better supports HTML5 and JavaScript and voice-activated searches.
Current BlackBerry owners shouldn't look forward to BB 7 OS on their phones, though. RIM announced that there will be no legacy support for this platform, meaning any device running previous versions of BB OS will not be compatible with version 7. The upcoming BlackBerry Bold Touch will be the flagship device for BB 7 OS.
Many consumers and experts alike are surprised and disappointed that RIM continues to use the dated BlackBerry operating system instead of the improved QNX operating system debuted on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet .
BB 7 OS equipped phones, including the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930, will be available sometime this summer.
