Just as promised, the beta version of the BlackBerry 10.2 SDK has been announced through the company’s official blog and some may be pleased to known that the update will be compatible with applications meant for Android Jelly Bean. This should be an agreeable development from an ecosystem which permitted BlackBerry PlayBook owners to enjoy Gingerbread-dedicated apps in the past.
This good news comes for those hanging onto their Dev Alpha B and C gadgets, while even developers who own the Z10 and Q10 can have their share of fun. Not only will people find the OS’ native version welcoming fresh additions, but also changes for Adobe AIR, thrusting it up to edition 3.5 which offers Stage3D for accelerated OpenGL graphics.
Tim N., the company’s Application Platform & Tools Product Management head, also mentioned in the blog post that they have pushed to the fore BlackBerry 10.2 SDK OS upgrades for the simulator. As of now, it does not support Android Jelly Bean apps, but this too should be made possible in the forthcoming versions.
It is only fair that the manufacturer make such a move, in light of Android’s massive footprint in the market, especially because of the services it proffers. Also, with BBM now on its way to cross the thresholds of other platforms, there is quite the chance that the Canada-based OEM may lose its USP. Taking this step with respect to the upgrade should help it garner attention from developers as well as potential buyers.
Since it could take a few more months before this platform is made available to everyday users, they can make the most of the 10.1 edition which was launched last month and is ready to be installed. This version does kick in a handful of noteworthy changes which include the HDR shooting mode to enhance the picture quality and also sanctions customizing contacts’ ringtones, vibrations and even the LED light variations.
The company has stressed on the fact that the BlackBerry 10.2 SDK beta still needs a lot of tweaking, but it made no efforts to disclose any details concerning the overhauled software’s release. Those who think they are up for some coding might be interested to learn that they can carry out these upgrades through the autoloader tool.