Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY) BB10.1 Heading to Developers

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) aka BlackBerry has been generating some positive buzz around its BlackBerry 10 operating system, and is trying to maintain that buzz as the keyboard-based Q10 handset gets released internationally in the coming weeks on the heels of the touchscreen Z10 that hit store shelves in February. As this new QWERTY handset  hits shelves, talk of an upgrade to BB10 has been introduced, and in fact now a version 10.1 is currently in the hands of developers so they have a chance to work on their applications and make them compatible with this update.

But the question comes as to whether this is an update, or an upgrade? With what is being discovered so far by the developers, from a functional standpoint this may be an upgrade from the original BB10. Some of the highlighted new features for the Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) BlackBerry 10 update are mostly functional rather than cosmetic.

These new features include the ability to unlock the phone using the power button, a HDR (high-definition resolution) option for the camera, capability of using promo codes in Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s “BlackBerry World,” increase ease in checking for app updates in BBW, the ability to run off alerts for specific applications and the ability to send broadcast messages  through a “select all” feature.

Image: Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)

As this new OS update is with developers, there is no word yet on an initial public release date, but it’s likely that it won’t be put on the Q10 initially. With talk that other devices are in the pipeline for later this year, though, that might be something to keep an eye out for moving forward.

Have you seen or used the new Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) handset and BlackBerry 10 operating system? What are your thoughts bout it in general, and what do you think about these new features? If you don’t have a BlackBerry yet, are you someone who is open in the market to possibly buying one? Let us know in the comments section below.

DISCLOSURE: I own no positions in any stock mentioned.