Good news for BlackBerry users, as it seems that the highly-anticipated BlackBerry 10.3.1 update may finally start rolling out later this month, on Feb. 19.
Owners of the BlackBerry Classic or the BlackBerry Passport smartphones already know what BlackBerry 10.3.1 has to offer, but many owners of other BlackBerry devices are still waiting to get a taste of the new upgrade.
Upon official unveiling the BlackBerry Classic back in December 2014, BlackBerry said that it would deliver the BlackBerry 10.3.1 update to existing devices this year, likely in February. Many BlackBerry owners hoped that the new update would be available by now, especially since rumors indicated at one point that it may in fact start rolling out in January. That obviously did not happen, but we now have more information regarding the much-touted February release, including an exact date for when the update should start rolling out.
According to an exclusive new report from N4BB, BlackBerry 10.3.1 will finally start rolling out to devices globally on Feb. 19. This means that owners of BlackBerry 10 devices should start receiving the update as soon as next week, if this report turns out to be accurate.
BlackBerry 10.3.1 will bring a number of neat new features and improvements to the table, including the company's new digital assistant. Aptly named BlackBerry Assistant, the software is the company's answer to Apple's Siri, Google Now, and Microsoft's Cortana.
The update should also bring notable improvements in the battery department, as it includes a new Battery Saving mode to extend the device's battery life when necessary. When enabled, this mode will slightly reduce the processor performance and limit notifications and advanced interactions to conserve battery life.
With the new BlackBerry 10.3.1, users will also be able to block contacts from texting or calling, while a Custom Notification feature will also allow them to customize call ringtones and LED light colors. Moreover, users will be able to hide videos and images if they so prefer, protecting their personal content from prying eyes. Lastly, a reverse contrast mode will allow BlackBerry device owners to switch the screen from black on white to white on black.
BlackBerry has yet to provide an official date for when this update will start rolling out, but is expected to offer more information shortly. In the meantime, take this report with a grain of salt.
