What is BlackBerry 10 OS?

The BlackBerry 10 OS is a microkernel operating system.

The BlackBerry 10 OS is a multitasking operating system built upon the reliability and power of QNX Neutrino RTOS. The OS implements the minimum amount of software in the kernel space and runs other processes in the user space, outside of the kernel space. By running most processes in the user space, the BlackBerry 10 OS can manage unresponsive processes in isolation. This helps prevent damage to the operating system and other running applications to ensure a highly responsive and secure environment.

The BlackBerry 10 OS is:

• Tamper-resistant — The OS performs an integrity test before it starts. If the integrity test reveals damage, the OS doesn't start.
• Resilient — Processes can be restarted without impacting other processes or applications. All applications run in the user space.
• Secure — The OS validates requests for system resources. An authorization manager evaluates requests from applications to access OS capabilities. For example, when an application requests access to the camera, the authorization manager displays a dialog box that specifies the capability requested, and provides the user with the opportunity to grant or refuse access to that capability. In addition, the OS is designed to verify the authenticity of applications. All applications must be signed by the RIM Signing Authority and have a Developer Certificate.
• Efficient — Power consumption is minimized by the OS when it is idle.