RIM has announced that its upcoming BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system will allow users to continue using their device while OS updates are being downloaded and installed.
Speaking to TechRadar, BlackBerry's Head of Software Vivek Bhardwaj explained the new system is a unique feature on the BlackBerry platform.
"We're the only platform where you can be watching a movie in the background while you're downloading and installing the update," he said.
"You don't have to leave it and watch a clock 'til it's done, you don't have to leave it for an hour the way you do with other phones – or with BlackBerry today."
As if by magic
This is possible thanks to the QNX kernel which is used in the operating system allowing the download, install and even testing of new software to occur in the background. All the user is required to do is reboot the device to seal the deal.
Although this will be rolled out officially with BB10 later in the year we can expect to see it in action in the Playbook 2.0 OS update which will be available soon.
Bhardwaj goes on to say that the new system will allow carriers to push out OS updates to future BlackBerry devices running BB10 a lot quicker.
"It's going to help us speed up carrier certification," he added. "If we're trying to trying to tweak something and the radio needs updating for the carrier too, now we can separate those. That leads to faster upgrades, less regression testing and more stability".
Bhardwaj believes this feature make BB10 handsets and PlayBook (which is also set to run BB10) stand out from the crowd – offering super quick OS updates in a world where we are still waiting for the likes of Ice Cream Sandwich to hit devices.
