[anon(3066922)]

Although blackberry has a very good consumer OS update rate the problem is that often it is not the latest. For whatever reason carriers are not releasing the updates until well after Blackberry releases it else where.

Why is this? If it is the carriers should blackberry start selling their own phones unlocked only?

I don't know enough about why this is happening.

Thanks

[GP540]

They can but carriers are really in control at the end of the day because they are the first ones that customers call with issues. so new operating system updates go through a "testing" period.

In Squircle I Trust

[anon(3066922)]

So I don't think that we can say that Apples iOS is simpler than BB10. If they go through the same process you would think that it would take the same amount of time. Is it the integration with BES or remaining BIS users that is an issue?

It used to be that carriers would put a lot of overlay on the OS but I don't see that anymore.

They can but carriers are really in control at the end of the day because they are the first ones that customers call with issues. so new operating system updates go through a "testing" period.

In Squircle I Trust

[anon(9046478)]

There's a sticky In the bb10 tips & faqs forum on the subject of carriers controlling the os releases. You may want to read that for more information.

[Ment]

Apples does things differently. They control OS version release. They also get carrier validation before OS release which is easier because they don't allow carrier bloatware on their devices. They have market power to put priority on carrier validation for their products.

[anon(3066922)]

http://forums.crackberry.com/bb10-ti...es-faq-914317/
"In Apple's case, Apple negotiated strict terms for control of OS updates, device subsidies and minimum sales quotas before the first device was officially released. They are almost unique in the industry in this sense. "

Well there you go. Looks like leverage wins.

[joeldf]

Yeah, there's a great write-up about this very issue.

In a rather long nutshell:

Apple has total control of their OS and also provides the customer service. They made this deal with AT&T so that AT&T could be the initial exclusive carrier. Supposedly, this was offered to Verizon first, but Verizon balked at the idea of OS control staying with Apple.

Apple became so big with AT&T's help that they can pretty much dictate the same OS control terms to everyone else now - including, eventually, Verizon.

Apple also has a huge testing facility and actually works with the carriers long before a major update goes out. So separate carrier testing isn't as important to the process.

BlackBerry had their deals with the carriers worked out years before there was an iPhone. Carriers market, sell, and provide the customer service while BlackBerry just provides the phone and the OS. OS has to be carrier tested so that they know how to deal with issues as customers call about problems. Carriers can then place all their bloatware in it that we all hate. Also, as the different carriers test, find problems and ask for fixes, other carriers would find different issues at different rates. In the legacy BBOS days, you'd see build numbers that ranged wildly from different carriers but all on the same major OS version.

BB10 was supposed to alleviate the issue, but carriers still don't want to let go of that control. And BlackBerry can't really fight it if they want to maintain what little help they may still get from most carriers.

BTW, BlackBerry isn't alone in this. Most Android phone makers have to follow the same deal - including Samsung. Their Android OS is also held up by AT&T for those customers long after others around the world get the latest versions. The sole exception for Android is the Nexus phones. But those are sold directly by Google, thus get the first new updates.

Unlocked BlackBerry phones sold by BlackBerry also get the latest official releases too, regardless of the carrier.

Posted via CB10

Edit... I see you found the write-up I was talking about.