BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha OS update coming on January 30th

By Bla1ze on 24 Jan 2013 03:39 pm

If you still have a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha in your hands and haven't yet sent it off a Limited Edition developer version, some excellent news has just been posted over at BlackBerry Developer Blog. Come January 30th, a new BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha update will be sent out that includes the BlackBerry Hub, phone, and BlackBerry Maps applications. In addition to that great news, a BlackBerry 10 SDK update will also be made available that day as well. That's some pretty stellar news for developers. If you're looking for the full details on the matter, make sure you hit the source link below.

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Topics: BlackBerry 10 BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha BlackBerry 10 SDK News & Rumors

Bla1ze 2967 (articles) 6534 (forum posts)

38 comments

Frehley Jan 24, 2013 at 3:53 pm

Would seem to mean that the Z10 won't be available to the public at launch.

Bla1ze Jan 24, 2013 at 3:54 pm

Define public?

Define launch?

If anything, to me it shows it would be.. if they're willing to hand it out to devs....

Frehley Jan 24, 2013 at 4:52 pm

All I was trying to say was that, to me, if Dev's are still getting OS updates the day of the world wide launch, it's not ready to release for me to purchase.

SDTRMG Jan 24, 2013 at 7:09 pm

That doesn't make sense? There getting a update that induces the hub, phone, and maps because the phone will be announced that day. That tells me they are ready. The new sdk will probably have Apis for the hub and the features they announce.

BaconMunch Jan 24, 2013 at 11:31 pm

This. I thought the sdk's were feature complete, but one thing that I've never seen on BB10 are 3rd party app notifications through the HUB and an API would likely be needed to allow apps to hook in.

Gerii Jan 25, 2013 at 4:31 am

There are APIs that allow creating notifications (e.g. https://developer.blackberry.com/html5/apis/notification.html for WebWorks). We just couldn't see them except for the blinking LED. We also could use the email composer card but weren't able to test it.

menaknow Jan 25, 2013 at 11:34 am

People who participated in port a thons won Dev Alpha devices. And most likely it is those devices that the original developers had but sent back for LE devices...

dbarz Jan 25, 2013 at 3:39 am

I think the update is to allow devs to continue building and testing apps on the dev devices AFTER the phone is released to the public.

menaknow Jan 24, 2013 at 4:03 pm

Why?

There probably caving to the devs I know that want to test Hub functionality in their app.

ovi08 Jan 24, 2013 at 5:40 pm

Just because they are updating the OS on the 30th it doesn't mean it won't be there for the public at launch. The update allows for developers to implement there app to the HUB, Map, etc. To think of it in another way, say you make an app but can't get it to connect to BBM because RIM hasn't released the SDK. Does that mean that the phone won't launch? Of course not. It just means that the devs, if they choose to do so, can have their apps, which assuming they have already sent in, connect to the HUB, Map, etc. What does this mean for the consumer? Just a simple app update.

Superfly_FR Jan 25, 2013 at 4:54 am

Nope, this means that devs can still develop and test in the closest to final environment, on a free development device. Nothing else. If you're familiar with development, you know that you need a development environment (basically : that you can set up and swipe anytime) and a production one (where you install and run valid apps and test eventual side effects, in a "real usage" situation).

Edit : remember DevAlphas can be returned anytime (before they got locked). 21st wasn't a device return deadline.
Quote (devblog) : "The Limited Edition devices will begin shipping out six to eight weeks after the BlackBerry 10 launch on January 30, 2013"

ciscobear Jan 24, 2013 at 4:00 pm

Err update on Jan 30? Update to BB10? Then again Jan 30 is a show off day really.

H4zN Jan 24, 2013 at 4:01 pm

This news pretty much sucks for all Devs who have already sent their Dev Alpha devices back for the Limited Edition (LE) trade-up program, since it will take a long time after launch to receive the LE devices.

TomJasper Jan 24, 2013 at 4:16 pm

Really? I would much rather have the Limited Edition any day. You don't speak for all devs, yet everybody is entitled to their opinion. :)

H4zN Jan 25, 2013 at 5:11 am

My point is that if the pick-up and return process wasn't as long as it is, all devs could have enjoyed this update on their devices before sending them to RIM for the trade-up program. Now we gotta wait while missing out on this. I know we're speaking of thousands of devices here and it's a lot of work to streamline everything before everyone can receive a LE device, but I was just hypothetically speaking. No offence intended to anyone. Of course everyone has the right to speak for their own.

menaknow Jan 24, 2013 at 4:04 pm

I guess this is the + side to not sending in my dev alpha yet while I wait for application approval.

Lebussle Jan 24, 2013 at 4:05 pm

Very interesting move. I wonder how much longer this update will extend the usefulness of the device. Good news for whoever spent crazy amounts for those dev devices on ebay. They won't become bricks for a little while longer.

jetstreamblue Jan 24, 2013 at 4:07 pm

Literally have my Dev Alpha packed up on my desk ready to drop off. Guess I'll be holding off on that now...

tgtallinn Jan 24, 2013 at 4:15 pm

Sending the dev alpha right now doesnt sound a good idea especially when you want testing your app with all the upgrades as the developers certainly don't have the lastest version, rather in april as the availability of the replacing device is announced. 6 to 8 weeks after the launch event.

http://devblog.blackberry.com/2013/01/blackberry-10-limited-edition-upda...

airbatross Jan 24, 2013 at 4:34 pm

OMG! OMG! I knew they would do this!.. I'm gonna sleep cuddling to my Alpha tonight.. Love you RIM!..

greatwiseone Jan 24, 2013 at 4:43 pm

Awesome. Keeping my dev alpha for a little bit longer (hope my trade-in email comes soon though).

StikiGreenZ Jan 24, 2013 at 4:47 pm

This sucks, I already mailed in my dev alpha to RIM. I hope they get the LE devices out FAST!

Xopher Jan 24, 2013 at 5:02 pm

My Dev Alpha already went back, so I'll just have to wait and see how long it really takes for the Limited Edition device to be sent out.

I wonder if any of the new features will show up in the simulator...

jordandrews90 Jan 24, 2013 at 5:04 pm

So if you were to just keep your dev alpha and use it as a phone, wouldn't it be more "Limited Edition" than the actual Limited Edition? Like more rare?

Skeevecr Jan 25, 2013 at 3:51 am

More rare, but uglier and probably with much shittier antenna performance.

Gerii Jan 25, 2013 at 4:37 am

A lot of the default apps would still be missing and you would probably get problems with RIM (and no future updates).

Superfly_FR Jan 25, 2013 at 4:52 am

Issues have been found with devAlpha A. It won't compare with LE or final version. Still, it is a pretty good testing device.

jordandrews90 Jan 24, 2013 at 5:04 pm

So if you were to just keep your dev alpha and use it as a phone, wouldn't it be more "Limited Edition" than the actual Limited Edition? Like more rare?

harshalbid271 Jan 24, 2013 at 6:15 pm

I was pretty sure this was coming. I think the version of OS that these dev alphas are going to get will have some expiry date built into them.

MXBerry Jan 24, 2013 at 8:48 pm

What about the PlayBook update???

Skeevecr Jan 25, 2013 at 3:52 am

Almost zero chance of being anywhere near Jan 30th, they will have been far to busy working on the phones which people will actually buy rather than playbooks that few people have actually bought.

Superfly_FR Jan 25, 2013 at 4:55 am

hum ... won't bet on that. Might be a PB BB10 alpha version (as for the Dev Alpha : with limited capabilities = device for dev only) and/or a simulator pretty soon. Might be one of the "surprises" [this is 100% speculation].

altrax Jan 25, 2013 at 12:53 am

It is assumed that at some point they will "brick" the Dev Alpha's but I always thought that wouldn't be until summer at the earliest one year after launch at the latest considering they are still handing them out and offering them as prizes for the port-a-thon events.

My game plan is set.... update dev alpha and use until I can get my hands on a Rogers Z10... at which point I can send away my dev alpha for the LE device. must make sure I don't go a single day without BB10 awesomeness.