BlackBerry Maker Overhauls Phone Operating System

In a long overdue move, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is set for a major rehaul of the phone’s operating system.

RIM will launch OS 6.0, a snazzier version of its operating system that will include a better web browser, a customizable home screen, widgets and an overall perkier user interface.

OS 6.0 is expected to be available next quarter but it won’t be compatible with all BlackBerry devices, says RIM.

RIM is playing coy with the details about OS 6.0 but the company says the system has been optimized for both trackpads and toushcreen devices.

An earlier leak of the OS 6.0 prototype showed a user interface similar to that of the BlackBerry Storm. The OS 6.0 home screen has a has a digital clock, wall paper and large icons to access services such as music, web and e-mail.

The browser, for long a sore point for RIM users, also has gotten an overhaul. Instead of displaying links and text in a reformatted version for the mobile phone, the OS 6.0 browser is closer to what iPhone and Android users get on their devices, throwing up web pages that look as good on the phone as they do on the PC.� RIM co-CEO� Mike Lazaridis showed a sneak preview of the browser in February.

OS 6.0 will include a revamped music player with an interface that displays album art.

It’s nice to see RIM take a step to modernize the BlackBerrys user interface. But when rivals such as Motorola, HTC and even Microsoft with the Kin smartphones are integrating features such as social networking, video and cloud syncing into their devices, RIM’s efforts seem too little too late.

See Also:

• RIM CEO Offers a Peek at New BlackBerry Browser


• BlackBerry Gets the Exclusive Official Craigslist App


• Obama: My BlackBerry Is Coming With Me


• Research In Motion Woos BlackBerry Developers


• Has Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Lost Its Edge?

Photo: Blackberry phone (LymStylez/Flickr)

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