QNX

QNX is the next operating system for BlackBerry devices from RIM, but what’s it all about and why should BlackBerry users be excited?

QNX has been around since 1982 and is akin to a Unix like operating system.

With the technical stuff now out of the way what does it mean for us?

Well QNX is used everywhere on a daily basis, in your car (BMW, Audi, Land Rover, Porsche), as part of the internet (Cisco), the oil industry (Emerson), Trains (GE Transportation), Energy production (GE Electric) and the postal system (USPS). It’s used because it’s robust and stable unlike a lot of other operating system we care not to mention.

 

RIM bought QNX back in April 2010 and since then has been prepping it for launch on BlackBerry devices. The BlackBerry OS is currently a java based one and it has been found wanting since the launch of iOS and Android (not to mention Windows phone OS). By buying QNX, RIM hope to make the leap quickly to a more immersive operating system to compete with the others.

 

The first QNX device launched by BlackBerry was the Playbook. And by all accounts it looked impressive and more than capable of competing with the Apple and Android tablets. Sales have been reasonable but what everyone really is waiting on is the QNX powered phones from BlackBerry.

 

 

 

The current rumour is that the first mobile device running QNX by BlackBerry could be released by the end of the year. It is expected to be a full screen BlackBerry with no physical keyboard. Codenamed the “Colt” it’s rumoured to be a Single-core 1.2GHz processor (like the Bold 9900), 900+ screen resolution and a touchscreen measuring 4.3”. It’ll come with BBM Video chat and the previously mention BBM Music.

 

Will this be the saviour of BlackBerry? OS 7 devices have certainly given a boost and we’re eagerly awaiting RIM’s quarterly results this week to back that up. Only time will tell.

 

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