BlackBerry rolls out Android updates, including Hub improvements

The phones sold poorly enough that BlackBerry kinda sorta decided to stop making them altogether, but the Waterloo-based (former) device maker continues to update its Android phones.

Android updates this December are set to improve the Hub+, Blackberry keyboard, and Blackberry launcher for the Blackberry PRIV, DTEK50, or DTEK60 device. An article on Blackberry’s Blog, written by author and Blackberry employee Michael C, gave us a run down of what we can expect from this December update.

The update has improved the functionality of Blackberry Hub, making emailing easier than before by allowing you to set a default account for emails that you’re sending. This lets you view more attachment types, and gives you the ability to customize the Hub to your liking. The update has made the Blackberry keyboard more user friendly by making it easier to switch between languages, and if your phone can read fingerprints, like the DTEK60 can, you can now use that to autofill passwords and unlock the password keeper. A dark theme has been added, so you can switch it up from the boring bright white one. BlackBerry has also changed the font of the Password Keeper.

These updates have come in almost bi-monthly since the release of the Blackberry’s first Android OS phone, the Blackberry PRIV. The last update released in October brought compatibility for new apps such as Facebook messenger, ways to change your keyboard language, gesture support, more security, improved camera performance, some bug fixes, and the ability to save pictures from the web.

Although these updates are sure to be appreciated by those who own the Blackberry Android PRIV, DTEK50, or DTEK60; some BB10 users feel as though they have been left out in the rain.

One of them, who goes by the name “John Peters” decided to voice his opinion in the comments section of the article.

“Nice to see you’re updating apps for the under one million users you have on Android and yet you’ve forgotten about the millions of loyal fans you have on BB10 as you continue to sell BB10 phones,” he said.

“Wish as much effort was put into bb10 as is for the Android stuff, ” said another comment.

Although BB10 users recently did receive update 10.3.3, that was primarily a security update. But considering the recent announcements on getting out of the hardware game and sticking mainly to software in the future, as well as the fact that the company simply isn’t selling many of the BB10 devices recently, many may take this as their cue that it is finally time to put aside their hazy, joyful memories of the BlackBerry 9000 or Curve and make the switch to another device maker.

But BlackBerry CEO John Chen says remaining CrackBerry addicts will be given at least one more hit, promising a last physical keyboard phone before it gets out of the business altogether.

“It’s coming”, he told Bloomberg’s Emily Chang at the Techonomy conference in Half Moon Bay, California recently. “We have one keyboard phone I promised people