Good news, BlackBerry fans! BlackBerry today announced that BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 is heading out to all BB10 devices.
BlackBerry says that the BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 software that debuted on the BlackBerry Classic will hit the BlackBerry Q5, Q10, Z10, Z30, Z3, Porsche Design P’9983, and the Passport. BlackBerry notes that the timing of the updates will vary by carrier, but when your update is ready to go, you’ll get a notification in the BlackBerry Hub.
While it may be only an x.x.1 update from BlackBerry 10.3, version 10.3.1 includes several big improvements. The Amazon Appstore is included, which means that you’ll have easy access to Android apps. Also included are keyboard shortcuts that utilize nearly every button on the physical keyboards of devices like the Passport and Q10. For example, you can press “T” when in the BlackBerry Hub to get to the top of your Inbox or you can press “B” to jump to the bottom. You can also press “A” to launch your Address Book, “N” to launch BBM, “O” to launch Settings, and more.
Some of the other tweaks included with this BlackBerry 10.3.1 update include improved camera software, better battery life, BlackBerry Hub improvements, and BlackBerry Assistant.
So yeah, this is a pretty significant update, especially for owners of older BlackBerry 10 phones that may not have gotten an update in a while. And it’s great to see all BB10 phones getting the update, even the aging BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 and the entry-level Q5, meaning that all BlackBerry addicts are being rewarded for their loyalty to the platform with new goodies.