BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 ‘likely’ to launch during MWC

Initially announced at CES, version 2.0 of the BlackBerry PlayBook OS is finally set to launch during Mobile World Congress at the end of this month. According to Senior Brand Manager Jeff Gadway in an interview with PC Magazine, the update will be available “very soon” and is likely to go live during MWC, which kicks off on February 27 and will have a fairly large RIM presence. RIM had initially planned ro release the update in February so a launch during MWC would be cutting it pretty close. The 400MB update, which will be pushed automatically to all PlayBooks once live, will introduce a number of new features to the OS, including several glaring omissions from the initial release. Most notably there’s finally a native email client with a new Messages app that not only lets you manage email but also Twitter and LinkedIn messages. PlayBook owners can also expect to see a tweaked home screen, new contacts and calendar apps, the ability to use your BlackBerry phone as a remote, and more. And for those of you eager to get a look at the update, be sure to check out our hands-on time with PlayBook 2.0.