BlackBerry just released its first software update for BlackBerry Priv to its Android users. Before taking a look at the details, we should point out that the update is available today for users who purchased their PRIV unlocked through ShopBlackBerry, but for users who purchased theirs from a carrier will have to wait until December 7.
This update is a maintenance release as part of the security update promised by the company to take place on a monthly basis, it’s about 475MB in size which features overall improvements and addresses a lot of complaints that were noticed by reviewers.
The update includes the following four improvements:
- An improved camera: A number of tweaks improve the speed of the camera app, which also now has better low-light image quality.
- Better performance: The Priv’s software has been tweaked to improve overall system performance.
- Improved stability: The update further includes a number of adjustments designed to improve device reliability and reduce instances of crashing and freezing.
- Enhanced security: The release includes security patches, and BlackBerry said you should “rest easy knowing your device is protected against the latest Android security threats.”
Overall, this update should help speed up taking pics and produce good quality images in low light with the camera, fix or reduce crashing and freezing issues, improve general system performance to make the PRIV more responsive.
The update can be easily applied by following the steps below:
- Connect to a Wi-Fi network before downloading the update, in order to avoid unnecessary data charges.
- Look for the update alert in your phone’s notifications tray. You can also check for software updates by going to Settings -> About -> System Updates and tapping the “Check for Updates” button.
- Choose to apply the update, and it will download in the background. You can continue to use your PRIV while it does so.
- Restart your phone to complete the installation process..
BlackBerry’s Android apps are also getting an update on December 14 via Google Play and the improvements include:
- Camera: Now supports 16:9 photos
- Keyboard: Increased language support and emojis added to predictive typing
- Hub & Contacts: Now includes WhatsApp
- DTEK by BlackBerry: More notification options to alert you when apps use your info
The update is good news, however, today’s announcement did not include any dates for upgrading Priv owners to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.