Heads up, BlackBerry smartphone owners. The Canadian phone maker on Thursday began rolling out a major software update for BlackBerry 10 devices, bringing a number of features that already come pre-loaded on the newer Classic.
The update — OS 10.3.1 — offers a "fresh look" with updated icons and an instant action bar so that your most commonly accessed functions are in the center of the screen. Other new features include Blend, which lets you transfer files and messages from your phone to a PC or tablet, and vice versa; and Assistant, which can be used with text or voice commands to help you manage work and personal email, contacts, calendar, and other native BlackBerry 10 apps.
The latest version also introduces dual app stores, offering access to hundreds of thousands of apps through both BlackBerry World and the Amazon Appstore.
Besides that, the update includes "battery boosting technology," which promises to increase battery life by 15 percent, as well as improvements to the calendar, camera, and more. The upgraded camera software automatically recommends modes and settings based on what you're shooting. It also lets you record video and take photos at the same time. The calendar, meanwhile, has a new Meeting Mode, which will automatically silence your phone during a meeting and re-enable notifications when it's over.
OS 10.3.1 also brings one added perk for devices with a physical QWERTY keyboard — shortcuts. You can now assign shortcut actions to almost any letter on the keyboard, meaning you'll be able to simply press that key to dial a frequent contact or launch an app, for instance.
The update is available for the BlackBerry Passport , Z30, Z3, Z10, Q10, and Q5, as well as the Porsche Design P'9983 and P'9982 smartphones. You'll receive a notification in Hub when the software is ready for download. If you've enabled automatic software downloads, you'll be notified when the software is downloading.