BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 Officially Launched!

As we exclusively revealed would happen, BlackBerry has today made OS 10.3.1 official.

The OS 10.3.1 OTA update should be rolling out sometime soon, assuming your carrier was onboard with the official launch date.

BlackBerry users on previous BB10 smartphones will be able to receive the new update and get the new features. Check out the press release below for further details.

Press Release

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – February 19, 2015) – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY)(TSX: BB), a global leader in mobile communications, announced that BlackBerry® 10 OS version 10.3.1 will begin rolling out globally today for in-market BlackBerry 10 devices, including the BlackBerry® Passport, Z30, Z3, Z10, Q10, and Q5, as well as the Porsche Design P’9983 and P’9982 smartphones from BlackBerry®.

Once downloaded, users will gain access to incredible new enhancements, including BlackBerry® Blend, BlackBerry® Assistant, battery boosting technology, plus improvements to the BlackBerry® Hub, calendar, camera, multimedia and more. This latest version also introduces dual app stores, offering access to hundreds of thousands of apps through the BlackBerry® World® storefront and the Amazon Appstore.

BlackBerry 10 OS 10.3.1 offers a fresh look that incorporates updated icons and an instant action bar so that each user’s most commonly accessed functions are in the center of their screen. With this operating system update, users gain access to powerful features, including:

–  BlackBerry Blend – BlackBerry Blend brings messaging and content that is

    on your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer and tablet. Get instant

    message notifications, read and respond to your work and personal email,

    BBM™ and text messages, and access your documents, calendar, contacts

    and media in real time on whatever device you are on, powered by your

    BlackBerry. BlackBerry Blend works across multiple operating systems

    including Mac, Windows®, iOS and Android™.(i)

–  Dual app storefronts, offering hundreds of thousands of apps:

    –  BlackBerry World – BlackBerry World showcases essential business and

        productivity apps for professionals looking to drive efficient

        communications and collaboration.

    –  Amazon Appstore – The Amazon Appstore is the place to download

        popular Android apps and games including favorites like Candy Crush

        Saga, Pinterest, Kindle and Cut the Rope 2.

–  BlackBerry Assistant – The BlackBerry Assistant is BlackBerry’s first

    digital assistant and can be used with voice and text commands to help

    users manage work and personal email, contacts, calendar and other

    native BlackBerry 10 applications. It’s the only smartphone assistant on

    the market today that can access both personal and work content in your

    work perimeter. BlackBerry Assistant intelligently determines how to

    respond to you based on how you interact with it – if you type, it

    responds silently, if you speak, it speaks back and if you activate over

    Bluetooth, it speaks back with additional context because it assumes you

    might not have access to the screen.

–  BlackBerry Hub with Instant Actions – The one place to manage all your

    conversations – email, texts, BBM, phone calls, social media and more -

    just got better. The new instant actions feature allows you to quickly

    organize and action your inbox without having to go into each individual

    message or calendar invite. Toggle the read status and file, flag or

    delete an email message with a single tap. When you’re composing an

    email, you can now transfer the conversation to a voice call, SMS or

    meeting invite.

–  Time Saving Keyboard Shortcuts – Keyboard shortcuts are back for

    BlackBerry 10 smartphones with a physical QWERTY keyboard including the

    BlackBerry Q5, Q10, Passport and the Porsche Design P’9983 smartphone

    from BlackBerry. As you once could on your beloved BlackBerry® Bold

    and as you can on the recently launched BlackBerry® Classic, you can

    now make use of nearly every letter in the physical keyboard and give it

    an action like Speed Dial for a contact, or use them to launch your

    most-used apps. For example, from the Hub press “T” to get to the top of

    your inbox or “B” to get to the bottom to make short work of getting

    through your messages. 

–  More Battery Power – You can now boost your battery life by up to 15

    percent by customizing your Power Saving Profile. Quickly select the

    applications and functions you would like to restrict or remain active

    to conserve power.

–  New Camera Functions – The upgraded camera software automatically

    recommends modes and settings, including HDR when sharp contrast is

    detected and an enhanced Time Shift mode when faces are detected. Now

    you have the option to store your Time Shift captures and edit them into

    the perfect photo whenever you want. Get the whole picture by capturing

    a panorama. Our new camera also brings your most common modes and

    actions to the forefront – you’ll never need to switch between your

    camera and video recorder again. You can even record video and take

    pictures at the same time.

–  More Ways to Edit, Create, Sort and Listen to Media – Enjoy your media

    the way it was meant to sound, with 17 preset equalizer options for both

    music and video. With 10.3.1, you now have the ability to “Favorite”

    songs, photos or videos so they are always at your fingertips. With the

    new slow motion video edit feature and built in Story Maker, it’s never

    been easier to master your media and share it with the world.

–  A Calendar that Works for You – The new Meeting Mode option will

    automatically set your phone to quiet mode for the duration of your

    meeting, and then turn notifications back on when it’s over. Plus, a new

    weekly agenda view allows you to see your events and tasks for the

    selected week or month.

–  BBM® Meetings – BBM Meetings offers business users a new way to work

    smarter and be more productive from any Android, iPhone, BlackBerry 10

    smartphone or Windows PC or Mac.(ii) It combines a mobile-optimized user

    experience that allows on-the-go professionals to schedule, host and

    participate in meetings anywhere you have an internet connection. All at

    a fraction of the cost of other leading collaboration solutions.

Subject to carrier approvals, BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.3.1 will be rolling out to customers around the world, starting today in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, and will be available for the entire line of smartphones running BlackBerry 10. BlackBerry Classic comes pre-loaded with the software. Customers will receive a notification in the BlackBerry Hub when the software is ready for download. If they have enabled automatic software downloads, they will be notified in the BlackBerry Hub that the software is downloading.

For more information about BlackBerry 10, visit www.BlackBerry.com/BlackBerry10OS.

(i) Requires download of BlackBerry® Blend app and pairing with a compatible device. BlackBerry Blend works across desktop operating systems, including Mac OS X 10.7 + and Windows 7+, iPad tablets running iOS 7+ and Android tablets running Android 4.4+. For more information visit www.BlackBerry.com/Blend.

(ii) Smartphone client requirements: BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1 or later, iOS version 7.0 or later, Android 4.0 (ICS)-no support for Gingerbread. Computer client requirements: Mac OSX with Mac 10.6.8 or later (Snow Leopard or greater) or Windows 8, 8.1, 7, Vista w/SP1 or greater, XP w/SP3 or greater. BBM Meetings is free for any user to join a meeting. A subscription is required to host a BBM Meeting.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.BlackBerry.com.