BlackBerry OS - Blackberry Desktop Software

BlackBerry OS is a proprietary mobile operating system developed by BlackBerry Limited for its BlackBerry line of smartphone handheld devices. The operating system provides multitasking and supports specialized input devices that have been adopted by BlackBerry for use in its handhelds, particularly the trackwheel, trackball, and most recently, the trackpad and touchscreen.

The BlackBerry platform is perhaps best known for its native support for corporate email, through Java Micro Edition MIDP 1.0 and, more recently, a subset of MIDP 2.0, which allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise email, calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts, when used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The operating system also supports WAP 1.2.

Updates to the operating system may be automatically available from wireless carriers that support the BlackBerry over the air software loading (OTASL) service.

Third-party developers can write software using the available BlackBerry API classes, although applications that make use of certain functionality must be digitally signed.

Research from June 2011, indicated that approximately 45% of mobile developers were using the platform at the time of publication.

BlackBerry OS was discontinued after the release of BlackBerry 10, but BlackBerry will continue support for the BlackBerry OS. However, the latest devices, the BlackBerry Priv and the BlackBerry DTEK50, use the Android operating system.

Release history

BlackBerry 9720

The BlackBerry 9720 runs a version of BlackBerry OS 7.1 with updates to the user interface, such as a new lock screen that lets you swipe to unlock the phone or access the camera, and redesigned Application Switcher, Music, Pictures, Videos, and Phone apps.

Availability

While BlackBerry Ltd. develops and releases updated versions of its operating system to support each device, it is up to the individual carriers to decide if and when a version is released to its users.

BlackBerry fonts

The following is a list of fonts that were included in some versions of BlackBerry (note: some of them were not included in older versions):

BBAlphaSans and BBAlphaSerif are based on the free software DejaVu fonts.

BlackBerry Tablet OS

On September 27, 2010, BlackBerry Ltd. announced a new unrelated QNX-based platform, BlackBerry Tablet OS, to run on its recently released BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer.