BlackBerry fanatics, today is quite a special day. OS 5.0 may have been somewhat of a letdown, lacking in new features that the “5.0″ moniker would otherwise seem to suggest. But 6.0 has been promised to take the BlackBerry OS deeper into the mainstream consumer markets. Of course, it’s all talk until RIM actually steps up and produces. On that note, judging by the 6.0 screenshots BGR scored from one of his sources, I’d say that at least considering the UI department, RIM is finally starting to get it.
But it’s not all a pretty face that buyers care about. (Look no further than disgruntled iPhone owners turning to other platforms for more customization and less restrictions…) To me, the most important thing to follow with OS 6.0 in particular is the new webkit browser. In OS 6.0, the BlackBerry browser get’s a much prettier face. But even more important, the fruits of the Blaze Mobile purchase that went down last year is finally coming to light in the form of a new, webkit-based BlackBerry browser that should downright disgrace the old one.
One other big talking point of OS 6.0 is the homescreen. Widgets — sorry, so far those haven’t been seen. (Some day.) Just as welcome however are pages. In the screenshot to my right, you can see what looks like a context/word menu that is horizontally scrollable. It’s a different approach than say the iPhone OS or Android — in which flipping “pages” moves either your icons, wallpaper or both. On BlackBerry OS 6.0, you toggle through these pages in the menu and then the corresponding page and it’s contents/icons/apps pops up. Finally some real evolution!
There’s a few other tidbits to bespoke of as well. Pressing and holding the screen will result in a 9-option context menu pop-up. Now, “context menu” sounds old and bland, but according to BGR, OS 6.0 manages to do it in a rather pleasing outfit. And what would a modern touchscreen smartphone be without pinch-to-zoom and system-wide multi-touch? Yup, OS 6.0 has it.
WES couldn’t come soon enough. Word is, OS 6.0 will drop by this June/July. RIM, you may just win me back yet. Put out a sweet touchscreen + slider hybrid and I’m yours…
