Oddly RIM has yet to officially announce BlackBerry OS 7.1 but we all know it is coming. I wonder if RIM marketing will turn OS 7.1 into OS 8.0 like they did with OS 6.1 turning into 7.0. Either way developers can now test out the new BlackBerry Java SDK v7.1 along with the BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse and the BlackBerry JDE for v7.1. They have a version coming for Mac soon too. The unexpected change in this update is supposedly it adds a new FM Radio feature to BlackBerrys with supporting hardware.
The new OS SDK’s and simulators primarily feature API changes to:
- NFC Peer-to-Peer API, allowing applications to share files and other data through NFC technology initiated communication with Bluetooth® handover.
- FM radio API, which is designed to give applications the ability to manipulate FM tuner settings on BlackBerry smartphones with supporting hardware.
- Profiles API, which brings more Super App features to applications, allowing them to query current profile settings and adjust their own application behaviour accordingly; or, conversely, intelligently change the current profile to match the user’s current activities.
- Magnetometer — Calibration Changes
- ICCID of SIM
According to RIM this update will be available for in market devices which are currently running BlackBerry OS 7 and future devices that will also be running 7.1. They have also released simulators for the Bold 9900 and Torch 9860 with this new OS 7.1. Oddly they have two simulators for the 9900 with the newer one being made for developers leveraging net.rim.device.api.browser.field2.BrowserField which is designed to include a more stable environment for browser-based development.
You can download the new BlackBerry Java SDK v7.1 and to download the simulators from the BlackBerry 7 page on BlackBerry Developer Zone.
