BlackBerry week in review: Q5 makes its debut, BBM goes multi-platform at conference

Thorsten Heins, president and CEO at BlackBerry speaks at Research In Motion's annual conference in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday, May 14, 2013. (AP / John Raoux)

BlackBerry unveiled its latest smartphone and announced plans to bring their instant messaging service to rival platforms during a jam-packed three-day conference in Orlando this past week.

CTVNews.ca has compiled the top five buzzworthy announcements and rumours that emerged from BlackBerry Live:

BlackBerry Messenger for iOS, Android

Arguably the biggest news coming out of the conference was the announcement that BlackBerry plans to bring their trademark Messenger (BBM) instant messaging service to rival platforms iOS and Android later this summer.

Pending approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store, iPhone and Android users will be able to download the instant messaging and video app for free.

The first version of the trademark service is expected to feature multi-person chats, voice note sharing and groups where BBM users can share calendars, photo and files with up to 30 fellow users.

Q5 smartphone

Chief Executive Thorsten Heins unveiled the Q5, the latest smartphone running the BlackBerry 10 platform. Described as “youthful” and “high performance,” the mobile device features a classic, QWERTY keyboard and a 3.1-inch touchscreen.

Though BlackBerry did not provide pricing, the device is expected to be more affordable than the Z10 and Q10 phones introduced earlier this year.

The Q5 will be available in select markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America starting in July.

BBM Channels

In a push toward social networking that features shades of Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook, BlackBerry introduced BBM Channels, which allows users to “subscribe” to channels and connect to and receive updates on their favourite brands, publications and celebrities.

Users can browse channels using a PIN or QR code, and then comment on, “like” and share posts on channels they subscribe to. They can also create their own personalized channel.

Phablet

Rumours spread that BlackBerry is preparing to release a larger phone (though smaller than a tablet), commonly known as a phablet, in the near future.

But Heins is said to be chilly to the idea of tablets, focusing instead on the new BlackBerry 10 line.

BlackBerry’s PlayBook tablet, released in 2011, has seen disappointing sales. Lacking any formal announcement, rumours of a BlackBerry phablet are remaining just that for now, but industry insiders are keeping on eye on what BlackBerry will do if Apple unveils a new iPhone later this year.

BB 10 software update

Keeping the focus on the flagship BlackBerry 10 line, Heins also announced a software update for the devices. BlackBerry 10.1 is a free update that will be available within weeks, the company said.

New features include improvements to the BlackBerry Hub, which lets users access all messages and notifications in one place, and now makes it easier to view emails sent as attachments.

The update also gives users finer cursor control for easier navigation and selection, a High Dynamic Range shooting mode on the camera and smaller improvements such as easier international dialing and red eye reduction in the photo editor.