BlackBerry fans can mark 30 January 2013 on their calendars, as this is when RIM (Research In Motion) will be launching its new BlackBerry 10 (BB10) operating system (OS). The Canadian smartphone and tablet maker stated that this launch event will happen simultaneously in multiple countries around the globe.

RIM will not only be pulling the wraps off its new smartphone and tablet platform, but also the first two BB10 powered smartphones. The company stated that the specs and availability of these devices will only be announced during the event, with the units becoming available during Q1 2013.

In August the company revealed that there will be two screen resolutions for BB10 operating devices, namely 720 x 720 for smartphones sporting a physical QWERTY keyboard and 768 x 1280 for full touch smartphones, so expect a high pixel density on the touchscreens.   

Currently BlackBerry App World lags far behind Apple’s App Store (700 000+) and Google Play (700 000+) in terms of its application tally (100 000+). RIM stated that BlackBerry 10 will offer a large catalogue of leading applications across all categories including games, productivity, social, as well as lifestyle and leisure.

Some key features of the BB10 devices already unveiled include:

BlackBerry Hub - All messages, notifications, news and social feeds, as well as calendar events are now found within a single location, namely the BlackBerry Hub. Users will also be able to peek into this Hub with a simple gesture from any application or from anywhere within the OS.

BlackBerry Keyboard - The new BlackBerry Keyboard ‘learns’ how a user types in order to adapt itself to their typing style, enabling you to type faster and more accurately. In addition, the virtual onscreen keyboard also provides users with word suggestions above certain letters that can be flicked into messages and emails.

BlackBerry Balance - With BlackBerry Balance, personal apps and information are kept separate from work data, and users are easily able to switch from their personal to work profile with a simple gesture. The work profile is also fully encrypted and secure, enabling organisations to protect their enterprise content and applications.