With RIM giving out prototype phones of Blackberry 10 to developers, some significant features expected in the phone which will be launched later this year were introduced. Along with improved voice quality and graphics, the new model reflects the absence of the physical keyboard. Regarding this, Thorsten Heins, the CEO of RIM, assured reporters at the company’s conference that RIM was not entirely getting rid of their physical keyboard feature.
Blackberry 10 boasts of a new virtual keyboard which RIM claims surpasses all other keypads used in touchscreen phones today. With the initial difficulties faced by users of touch-screen phones being common, this particular software aims at making typing an easier task by tracking words that are often used on the phone and helps handle careless typing; thus increasing accuracy.
RIM does not intend on getting rid of physical keyboards on their phones and the Blackberry 10 software has been designed keeping this in mind. Heins stated that the company is well aware of their strengths and getting rid of the physical keyboards may be unwise. Users should keep in mind that the prototype models, the BlackBerry Dev Alpha, that were given out to developers may differ from the final product as the software yet needs to be developed completely. Heins pointed out that though the physical keyboard may not be present on the Blackberry 10 phones initially, it will be incorporated in the devices that will be launched later.
The company’s tablet, the Blackberry Playbook, may not have found easy success in the market ever since it was introduced a year back, but advanced development of the tablet is underway and this could eventually help the company build a solid platform in the form of the Blackberry Playbook 2.0. Business users are also being targeted as the tablet will receive a 4G LTE version soon. The Blackberry 10 OS is based on the Playbook’s OS, called QNX. Apps that have been developed for the tablet will also be compatible with BlackBerry 10 phones.
Heins cleared the air regarding the confusion about RIM abandoning the consumer market. He stated that the company is looking at developing their own consumer services and collaborating with external providers for providing features and apps. With RIM struggling to compete with Apple and Google’s Android, Blackberry 10 is expected to bring them back on track, at least in North America.
