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BlackBerry 10.3.1 brings Assistant, Blend and Android app support [update]
Update: The full device list that will receive the BlackBerry’s latest OS update has been outed, and includes the following devices: BlackBerry Passport, Z30, Z3, Z10, Q10, Q5, Porsche Design P9983 and P9982. Additionally, the BlackBerry Classic’s software has been updated to 10.3.1.1565.
BlackBerry has pushed updates of its BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 on Thursday, giving users of the Z10, Q10 and Z30 a chance to upgrade to the latest software platform.
The company’s newest phones, including the BlackBerry Classic and BlackBerry Passport already have the latest version installed, which allows users to access and install Android apps and a host of additional features.
One of those features is the arrival of BlackBerry Assistant — the Waterloo, Ontario company’s answer to Apple‘s Siri. It allows the user to manage and retrieve files and other documents using voice or text commands.
BlackBerry Blend, one of the company’s star features, is also available which allows users of the BlackBerry in question to remotely access data — from emails to phone calls — using a laptop, tablet or computer. The software works with all major OSes at the moment, including those crafted by Google, Microsoft and Apple.
And finally, perhaps the most impressive feature for those making the jump from Android, is the OS’s ability to install Android APK files, which means a plethora of apps crafted for Android devices can perform adequately on BlackBerry devices.
The OS is all about seamless integration, and this is definitely BlackBerry’s vision going forward. The new BlackBerry Classic, for example, is a device that aims to seamlessly bridge the gap for Android users and those still using the company’s legacy hardware.
Read more: BlackBerry Classic is a stately, suave blast from the past [Gallery]
The company has made the software update available since Thursday, but updates are predominantly dictated by carrier, so we could see it pushed to devices a little later this month in South Africa.
