BlackBerry today announced version 10.2.1 of its operating system for BlackBerry smartphones.
The update adds a wide number of new features, and makes significant changes to the behavior of several key apps. For example, users can create filters in BlackBerry Hub and customize their own pinch gesture to automatically view the filtered messages. The phone application makes it easier to answer or reject calls with a new swiping motion. Users can now create SMS and email groups for simpler bulk message addressing. The lock screen adds actionable notifications, such as the ability to open incoming messages. The updated operating system adds a picture password, which uses a combination of a picture and a PIN to unlock the device.
BlackBerry 10.2.1 lets users customize what appears on the settings menu, save web pages for offline reading, set preferred contact syncing, and improves the device/battery monitor to keep track of the handset and its status. The update adds an FM radio to the BlackBerry Z30, Q10, and Q5, lets users set automatic software updates over Wi-Fi, and adds more business-centric features that rely on BES 10.
According to BlackBerry, BBOS 10.2.1 is available beginning today in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region. Exact timing will depend on carrier approval of the operating system. BlackBerry OS 10.2.1 is compatible with all BlackBerry 10 devices.
