In case you weren't liking the leaked OS 10.3.0.1418, you now have the option of hopping into OS 10.3.1.821 on most BlackBerry 10 devices, unofficially. The files and autoloaders are now available for download for the Q5, Q10, Z3, Z10 as well as the Z30 in the CrackBerry Forums.

However, you'll want to read through and find out what's working and what's not, now that there's some feedback on the release. If you do decide to take matters into your own hands and decide to give 10.3.1 a go, you do so at your own risk. You should always back up your data before loading any sort of OS files that don't come directly via the normal install process. You can find the files in the CrackBerry Forums.

Shout out to everyone who helped get the files together!

It has begun. Yes, after many rumors, speculation and confirmation at the BlackBerry Classic event of a February launch, the rollout of BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 is now official according to BlackBerry and will be available to customers around the world starting today in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific for the entire line of smartphones running BlackBerry 10. This announcement is mostly significant for older BlackBerry 10 smartphones as this is the first major update since OS 10.2.1 last year.

The update brings a whole range of new features and enhancements to the BlackBerry 10 experience, so expect to see a lot of 10.3.1 related content as we dig deeper into it now that it has begun to be available for everyone. For now though, go ahead and check for software updates and have a look through the press release directly from BlackBerry. Again, this is just the start, so updates are still pending carrier approval.

Press Release

Recently we published a poll asking CrackBerry readers if 'you use a custom BBM PIN'. As I mentioned then, we've had the ability to create our own PIN since the last update of BBM and while it's a pretty cool new addition I wasn't convinced that it was worth spending a couple of bucks a month on for the privilege.

Sure, I can see the advantage in that you could have the same PIN as your name or social network user name, but is that a huge deal for BBM users? It would appear that most BlackBerry users agree with me, as over 76% of people that voted said that they couldn't justify the monthly cost.

The reasoning behind the custom PIN is revenue, but is it generating as much as BlackBerry expected? I suspect not, but every little helps. What I would be interested to see and what would possibly make me change my mind is a one off cost for a custom PIN, instead of the monthly subscription. The price would still have to be attractive though - something that it isn't at the moment in my opinion.

Yesterday, BlackBerry started seeding OS 10.3.2.281 to those who are a part of the BlackBerry 10.3 beta program and as always, a few hours later the files started appearing for everyone to download. First they appeared for the BlackBerry Passport, then the BlackBerry Z30 and BlackBerry Classic and now that the beta has landed in the hands of even more folks, so have the files for several other devices including the Z10 (No STL100-1) Q5, Q10. As the OS has been 'out there' and kinda 'leaked' since yesterday, there's already a full change log for it from BlackBerry plus, whatever other stuff those who already have it installed have found.

New Features Included in 10.3.2

• S/MIME Support for ActiveSync - Import your S/MIME certificate into your certificate store and manage your secure email settings in the Hub
• Next Generation Enterprise Connectivity - improving performance and protocol for behind-the-firewall access (requires BES 12.2)
• BlackBerry Protect - Anti-Theft Protection: Ability to remotely lock, wipe and recover a device by logging into BlackBerry Protect. A device can only be recovered this way. (There's no real clarification on this part as of yet but it seems to require a password to enable/disable now.)
• Browser Enhancements - Anti-Phishing, Private Browsing Mode
• Hub Improvements - Open the associated email when viewing an attachment, Bulk clear recent contacts
• Calendar Improvements - Grow/shrink numbers based on how busy the user is during work hours (month view only), Add time zone previews while creating or editing an event
• BlackBerry Assistant - Interaction with the timer
• Amazon Shopping App now preloaded
• New Lockscreen animation
• Peek now shows date and carrier

Known Issues with 10.3.2

• [Clock] Alarm may reset randomly to a different time, recurrence may toggle, and description may appear corrupt
• [Clock] Alarm configured via BlackBerry Intelligent Assistant did not go off at the configured time
• [Clock] After snoozing the alarm, the Clock application buttons may display in the bedside mode
• [Hub] Hub settings may not be retained after an update from BlackBerry 10 OS v10.3.1 to 10.3.2
• [Hub] If the device's font size is larger than 14, speed triage actions may action the incorrect item
• [Input] It may take longer than usual to input text after starting the device
• [Active Frames] Content in minimized apps may appear distorted and stretched
• [NFC] If bed time mode is enabled while an NFC Card Transaction occurs, the payment is received by the selector dialog is placed underneath the clock
• [Boot Up] Boot time can take up to ten minutes in some cases.

As there is no standard autoloader for these files, you must use Sachesi to update your device with the Core OS and Radio files needed. With that in mind, should you decide to update using these files the standard disclaimer applies here. If you mess it up, don't go blaming us. It's only logical to back up your device BEFORE you hop into this situation so be sure to do that and as always if you run into issues you can ask in the CrackBerry Forums for help.

PS: It's also watermarked, so your PIN will show on your display. And there's next to no chance this will ever be an 'official' OS for the masses, it's just for testing only so don't get all bent out of shape over it.

Download OS 10.3.2.281 for the BlackBerry Z30 and Classic
Download OS 10.3.2.281 for the BlackBerry Passport
Download 10.3.2.281 for most other BlackBerry 10 smartphones

An already busy day has just got a little bit busier. BlackBerry OS 10.3.1.2708 has now started rolling out for multiple devices on several Canadian carriers such Rogers, TELUS and Koodo. If that's not enough, the links for the OS have also gone live as well and are now available in the CrackBerry Forums, allowing anyone who is familiar with autoloaders and Sachesi to update their device to OS 10.3.1.2708 as well.

The changelog for this release keeps the generic 10.3.1 listing when updating via OTA, so it's not entirely known what is new and what's not in this release but it's safe to say it's general improvements over previous 10.3.1 builds. If you're looking for a more detailed account of what has changed, there is a findings and fixes thread already started in the forums. However, keep in mind it was just released, so not much testing has been done as of yet.

Sidenote: Between unlocked devices from Amazon, ShopBlackBerry and carrier unlocked devices, it has become rather hard at times to pinpoint which devices exactly are getting updates and from where. In this case, some devices are also receiving OS 10.3.1.2576.

BlackBerry has posted an update for BlackBerry 10 developers, confirming that the company will continue to support the platform. On the BlackBerry 10 front, not much will change, as the company gears up to release the Priv by BlackBerry, its first Android smartphone. Development continues on BlackBerry 10, as the company has committed to an early 2016 release for BlackBerry 10.3.3.

Additionally, all of the current development environments, such as Native, Cascades, web, etc will continue to be supported. BlackBerry World will remain available for developers to distribute their apps, as well as the Amazon Appstore, and BlackBerry has recently refreshed its Developer Zone and will continue to run its support forums, developer blog, BBM Channel and all other social channels as well. So, even with the first Android-based phone heading to market soon, BlackBerry is not abandoning its previous OS of choice, which is great to see.

Source: BlackBerry

Looking for a new BlackBerry 10 OS? If so, you can now go ahead and give OS 10.3.2.2813 a try if you're down with manually installing it using the update files. At this point, as the files are brand new, it's pretty hard to say what has changed but this is the first BlackBerry 10 OS update we've seen in a while. Some app versions have been updated and the OS has a build date of 2015-10-05, but that's pretty much all that is known thus far.

Given the nature of the files, it still has to be treated like a leak in the fact that you assume all responsibility should you decide to load it up. The core OS, debrick and radio files are available for those who wish to build their own autoloaders and if you're not keen on doing that, well, there's a few autoloaders already available as well.

Download 10.3.2.2813 for all BlackBerry 10 smartphones

Although the OS has been appearing on BlackBerry servers since late December, we're now one step closer to seeing an official release of BlackBerry OS 10.3.3, which is expected to land before the end of March. As spotted on the PTCRB site, BlackBerry OS 10.3.3.441, Radio 10.3.3.442, Software Release Version: 10.3.3.293 has now been certified for the BlackBerry Q5 and it's only a matter of time before it filters out to other devices in the BlackBerry 10 lineup.

As it stands, BlackBerry OS 10.3.3 isn't expected to bring any huge changes on the consumer side but it has already been confirmed by BlackBerry CEO John Chen that will contain the NIAP certification, meaning it will have passed the strictest government-grade security tests, enabling BlackBerry to further support government and regulated customers who use BlackBerry 10 devices and demand the highest levels of security.

Remember the good old days when BlackBerry used to release beta OS builds to developers? Well, they're back. BlackBerry has rather quietly updated the BlackBerry Dev Alpha downloads page with beta builds of BlackBerry 10.3.3.746 so developers may test their apps against that build to ensure all remains working fine.

Just as before, the OS builds are not full builds of the OS, they are watermarked with your PIN and are certainly not recommended to be downloaded unless you are a developer. One problem has already popped up in the forums, wherein the SD Card Drivers for the OS would not install for someone who unknowingly installed one of the beta builds.

That warning aside and knowing some will entirely ignore it, you can hit the link below to grab the OS for your specific device. Z10, Z30, Q5, Q10, Leap, Passport, Classic and finally, Dev Alpha C are all supported.

Download BlackBerry OS 10.3.3 beta OS for developers

Update - BlackBerry has now outlined the details via the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog. Here's what they had to say about the releases.

If you're simply itching to load up a new OS on your BlackBerry 10 smartphone, you can now snag OS 10.3.2.2888 as long as you're willing to install the files manually yourself. The OS files have now appeared on BlackBerry's production servers and are available for all to download.

At this point, it looks as though there's not exactly a lot that's new but hey, it's a higher version number than what you're likely running now, so there's that. If you do go loading it up, be sure to read through the thread and know what you're getting into.

The OS uses an older version of the Android Runtime that has in the past caused problems, so you'll want to ensure you replace that. Plus, it also uses the 2877 radio files so be sure to download those. The long and the short of it, unless you know what you're doing, you'll likely just want to pass on loading this for now. But it's certainly there if you simply must give it a go.

Download OS 10.3.2.2888

Thanks, mainely_linux !

This is the kind of news I like to see just in time to kick off the weekend. Over in India it seems that good old BlackBerry 10 has been put through its paces along with it's competition from iOS, Android and Windows Phone and has come out on top!

Although you regular readers of the site will be looking forward to running BlackBerry 10.3 soon, if you have not tried a leak, it's 10.2 that has been awarded the title of World's Best Mobile OS by Digit, which is India's biggest tech magazine.

If 10.2 has kicked the competition into touch, think what potential we have with 10.3 lurking around the corner. The BlackBerry Passport and Classic can't come soon enough.

Press Release

Although some folks have seen it arrive a bit earlier, it seems as though Verizon has now pushed another round of updates for BlackBerry Z30 owners. This time, software release 10.2.1.2991, OS version 10.2.1.3289 is appearing via the OTA update system. The change log is recycled from previous release but we know the update includes general bug fixes and improvements over the previous releases.

Upgrade your Z30 now to discover new and improved features: - More ways to organize and customize the BlackBerry Priority Hub - Enhanced attachment view for emails - Easily switch between personal and work settings through customized Quick Settings - Support for SD cards 64GB and higher - And more. . . For a full list of changes visit www.verizonwireless.com/BlackBerryZ30support.

Before beginning the update we recommend that you make a backup of your BlackBerry 10 smartphone and connect to a power source. You may use your device during the update process. A restart is required to complete the update. Restart could take 10 minutes or longer in some cases.

If you've not already taken matters into your own hands and updated your OS through the various other methods available, then you should go ahead and accept the update that Verizon is pushing out. If you've already accepted the update, then let others know in the comment how it's working out for you this far.

With any new release of an operating system it's the big new features that normally get all the attention and that's perfectly understandable. However, it's also the little improvements that help the whole experience and BlackBerry 10.3 has plenty of those.

One that's stuck out for me happens after you restart your BlackBerry. Cleverly, the device remembers what applications you had open as Active Frames prior to the reboot and as the device restarts they will still be there but in a kind of translucent state.

This then gives you the option to either tap them to open them up, or close them with a touch of the 'X' at the bottom right of the frame.

This new feature isn't a massive selling point for BlackBerry 10.3 but it does make life easier. If after a reboot you need to jump into those same apps you had running, which I normally do, there's no need to find those apps and launch them by locating their icons in the app trays.

Of course, if you are already running BlackBerry 10.3 you may be one of the folk that don't keep Active Frames open as with 10.3 you can have a nice clean home screen to show off your wallpaper - yet a second awesome new feature.

Nice work BlackBerry. Now we just need to know when all BlackBerry 10 devices are going to get the 10.3 update.

When it comes to OS updates for the BlackBerry Passport, Rogers seems to be leading the pack. They were the first carrier to roll out an update before the device was fully officially announced and now they've gone ahead and released another. Now appearing on Passports is software update v10.3.0.908 otherwise known as OS v10.3.0.1418.

The update doesn't really specify what has changed, but folks in the CrackBerry Forums are already digging through it. Of course, you don't really need to be on Rogers to receive the update either. The files are available for loading yourself if you wish and if you hold out a bit later, I'm sure some autoloaders will be created.

With BlackBerry having chosen the winning Formula One team to sponsor this year they have managed to achieve some of the best marketing out there - not just the BlackBerry logo being on Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's cars, but also on their helmets and most items of clothing - racing and casual.

We've featured promotional videos here before on why Mercedes AMG PETRONAS use BlackBerry 10 smartphones as their communication tools of choice, but now it's time to take things to a new level - I'm going on a mission at their UK headquarters!

Next week I'll be hanging out at the base in Northamptonshire where I'll get a grand tour, get to chat with Matt Harris - their IT director and even have the opportunity to test out there simulator!!!

I've decided to tackle this one slightly differently to previous events I've attended. As long as Mercedes AMG Petronas allow it I'm going to vlog the day. I've not done this before so it could go terribly wrong, but I'm up for the challenge and I think it will be the best way of sharing the day with the CrackBerry nation. I'm pretty sure there will be parts of the tour that I can't video or photograph but that's to be expected.

It sure sounds like it's going to be an absolutely awesome day so keep your eyes peeled next week for all the action.

In case you weren't liking the leaked OS 10.3.0.1418, you now have the option of hopping into OS 10.3.1.821 on most BlackBerry 10 devices, unofficially. The files and autoloaders are now available for download for the Q5, Q10, Z3, Z10 as well as the Z30 in the CrackBerry Forums.

However, you'll want to read through and find out what's working and what's not, now that there's some feedback on the release. If you do decide to take matters into your own hands and decide to give 10.3.1 a go, you do so at your own risk. You should always back up your data before loading any sort of OS files that don't come directly via the normal install process. You can find the files in the CrackBerry Forums.

Shout out to everyone who helped get the files together!

It has begun. Yes, after many rumors, speculation and confirmation at the BlackBerry Classic event of a February launch, the rollout of BlackBerry OS 10.3.1 is now official according to BlackBerry and will be available to customers around the world starting today in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific for the entire line of smartphones running BlackBerry 10. This announcement is mostly significant for older BlackBerry 10 smartphones as this is the first major update since OS 10.2.1 last year.

The update brings a whole range of new features and enhancements to the BlackBerry 10 experience, so expect to see a lot of 10.3.1 related content as we dig deeper into it now that it has begun to be available for everyone. For now though, go ahead and check for software updates and have a look through the press release directly from BlackBerry. Again, this is just the start, so updates are still pending carrier approval.

Press Release

Recently we published a poll asking CrackBerry readers if 'you use a custom BBM PIN'. As I mentioned then, we've had the ability to create our own PIN since the last update of BBM and while it's a pretty cool new addition I wasn't convinced that it was worth spending a couple of bucks a month on for the privilege.

Sure, I can see the advantage in that you could have the same PIN as your name or social network user name, but is that a huge deal for BBM users? It would appear that most BlackBerry users agree with me, as over 76% of people that voted said that they couldn't justify the monthly cost.

The reasoning behind the custom PIN is revenue, but is it generating as much as BlackBerry expected? I suspect not, but every little helps. What I would be interested to see and what would possibly make me change my mind is a one off cost for a custom PIN, instead of the monthly subscription. The price would still have to be attractive though - something that it isn't at the moment in my opinion.

Yesterday, BlackBerry started seeding OS 10.3.2.281 to those who are a part of the BlackBerry 10.3 beta program and as always, a few hours later the files started appearing for everyone to download. First they appeared for the BlackBerry Passport, then the BlackBerry Z30 and BlackBerry Classic and now that the beta has landed in the hands of even more folks, so have the files for several other devices including the Z10 (No STL100-1) Q5, Q10. As the OS has been 'out there' and kinda 'leaked' since yesterday, there's already a full change log for it from BlackBerry plus, whatever other stuff those who already have it installed have found.

New Features Included in 10.3.2

• S/MIME Support for ActiveSync - Import your S/MIME certificate into your certificate store and manage your secure email settings in the Hub
• Next Generation Enterprise Connectivity - improving performance and protocol for behind-the-firewall access (requires BES 12.2)
• BlackBerry Protect - Anti-Theft Protection: Ability to remotely lock, wipe and recover a device by logging into BlackBerry Protect. A device can only be recovered this way. (There's no real clarification on this part as of yet but it seems to require a password to enable/disable now.)
• Browser Enhancements - Anti-Phishing, Private Browsing Mode
• Hub Improvements - Open the associated email when viewing an attachment, Bulk clear recent contacts
• Calendar Improvements - Grow/shrink numbers based on how busy the user is during work hours (month view only), Add time zone previews while creating or editing an event
• BlackBerry Assistant - Interaction with the timer
• Amazon Shopping App now preloaded
• New Lockscreen animation
• Peek now shows date and carrier

Known Issues with 10.3.2

• [Clock] Alarm may reset randomly to a different time, recurrence may toggle, and description may appear corrupt
• [Clock] Alarm configured via BlackBerry Intelligent Assistant did not go off at the configured time
• [Clock] After snoozing the alarm, the Clock application buttons may display in the bedside mode
• [Hub] Hub settings may not be retained after an update from BlackBerry 10 OS v10.3.1 to 10.3.2
• [Hub] If the device's font size is larger than 14, speed triage actions may action the incorrect item
• [Input] It may take longer than usual to input text after starting the device
• [Active Frames] Content in minimized apps may appear distorted and stretched
• [NFC] If bed time mode is enabled while an NFC Card Transaction occurs, the payment is received by the selector dialog is placed underneath the clock
• [Boot Up] Boot time can take up to ten minutes in some cases.

As there is no standard autoloader for these files, you must use Sachesi to update your device with the Core OS and Radio files needed. With that in mind, should you decide to update using these files the standard disclaimer applies here. If you mess it up, don't go blaming us. It's only logical to back up your device BEFORE you hop into this situation so be sure to do that and as always if you run into issues you can ask in the CrackBerry Forums for help.

PS: It's also watermarked, so your PIN will show on your display. And there's next to no chance this will ever be an 'official' OS for the masses, it's just for testing only so don't get all bent out of shape over it.

Download OS 10.3.2.281 for the BlackBerry Z30 and Classic
Download OS 10.3.2.281 for the BlackBerry Passport
Download 10.3.2.281 for most other BlackBerry 10 smartphones

An already busy day has just got a little bit busier. BlackBerry OS 10.3.1.2708 has now started rolling out for multiple devices on several Canadian carriers such Rogers, TELUS and Koodo. If that's not enough, the links for the OS have also gone live as well and are now available in the CrackBerry Forums, allowing anyone who is familiar with autoloaders and Sachesi to update their device to OS 10.3.1.2708 as well.

The changelog for this release keeps the generic 10.3.1 listing when updating via OTA, so it's not entirely known what is new and what's not in this release but it's safe to say it's general improvements over previous 10.3.1 builds. If you're looking for a more detailed account of what has changed, there is a findings and fixes thread already started in the forums. However, keep in mind it was just released, so not much testing has been done as of yet.

Sidenote: Between unlocked devices from Amazon, ShopBlackBerry and carrier unlocked devices, it has become rather hard at times to pinpoint which devices exactly are getting updates and from where. In this case, some devices are also receiving OS 10.3.1.2576.