[mgsn]

i just got my Playbook even after all bad things i read every day, i think Playbook is wonderful device with high quality material and hardware. but how long do u think that RIM will support current Playbook before release second one.
IMO RIM will not make mistake twice, and RIM learned the lesson that prepare yourself first the lunch

[daveycrocket]

It seems to me that RIM support most of their products for a long period. I think your question is prompted by this throw away world we live in but so far Rim haven't followed this way, I feel that some companies for what ever reason, maybe inovation with electronics, have gone that route in the past. From my own experience with an HD2 phone, microsoft, I was told by my provider were not providing updates, my guess because of windows phone 7. My hd2 was only 18 months old bought from first release.

Others who have used RIM for a greater time than me will be able to comment.

[kbz1960]

I think they are going support it until they have it up to speed and beyond. How long I can't say. Even the tour not long ago had a new OS released even though the one I have on mine works fine so I didn't upgrade to it.

The hardware is fine for years yet unless you always have to have the latest and greatest. I still have a 4 year old laptop that does everything I need it to do. I do have a newer one not for need but just because I wanted a newer one.

[shootsscores]

i just got my Playbook even after all bad things i read every day, i think Playbook is wonderful device with high quality material and hardware. but how long do u think that RIM will support current Playbook before release second one.
IMO RIM will not make mistake twice, and RIM learned the lesson that prepare yourself first the lunch

RIM is staking its future on the QNX OS which is what powers the PB and which will also power its next generation super phones so as long as RIM around the PB will be supported. As for all the negativity, polls on this forum show that the whiners are a distinct minority. Most owners are happy with their PBs.

[blackjack93117]

RIM has always had an eye to backwards compatibility - which is exactly why native PIM on the playbook is delayed.. not an easy task. QNX - or BBX will be the OS for a long ti me to come, meaning nothing they are doing now will be obsolete on any new models.

The OS is upgradable so any improvements made on the basic OS infrastructure of the new model should easily apply to the old. BUt I dont think you will see a new playbook for quite some time.

With BB phones - it has been my experience that "support" is not necessary - even though There is now OS 7 I still am happily running OS 5, with no need of "support" for over two years.

[blackjack93117]

I think they are going support it until they have it up to speed and beyond. How long I can't say. Even the tour not long ago had a new OS released even though the one I have on mine works fine so I didn't upgrade to it.

The hardware is fine for years yet unless you always have to have the latest and greatest. I still have a 4 year old laptop that does everything I need it to do. I do have a newer one not for need but just because I wanted a newer one.

I find that most who "had to have the latest and greatest" don't often think things through (iFad for example). The tried and true is often the better option.

All I hear is complaints and regrets from those who upgraded from OS5 to OS6 on the bold - uses way more memory just to have a UI that is more in step with RIM's latest offerings...

For those who have to have the latest and greatest.

Latest and greatest all too often is not an "improvement" just a change - for the sake of change I guess?

Windows Vista was the worst example of this.

That's what kind of worries me about OS 2.0 _ I hope they don't intentionally or accidentally remove some of the nice features we have now...I actually like the tabs at the top of the UI, for example which I understand are gone...so we can be more like the "other tabs" I guess? I hate the follow the pack mentality they seem to be taking on...next thing you know we will have a "home" button....and the bezel swipes removed....

[howarmat]

RIM has always had an eye to backwards compatibility - which is exactly why native PIM on the playbook is delayed.. not an easy task. QNX - or BBX will be the OS for a long ti me to come, meaning nothing they are doing now will be obsolete on any new models.

The OS is upgradable so any improvements made on the basic OS infrastructure of the new model should easily apply to the old. BUt I dont think you will see a new playbook for quite some time.

With BB phones - it has been my experience that "support" is not necessary - even though There is now OS 7 I still am happily running OS 5, with no need of "support" for over two years.

really that is why many OS 5 phones couldnt upgrade to OS 6? OS 6 phones cant upgrade to OS 7? None of the current phones can upgrade to BBX? **** you cant even carry over many apps to run on the new OS that RIM release. IMO RIM is the worst when it comes to "support" when they release new OS versions.

[dcburke789]

really that is why many OS 5 phones couldnt upgrade to OS 6? OS 6 phones cant upgrade to OS 7? None of the current phones can upgrade to BBX? **** you cant even carry over many apps to run on the new OS that RIM release. IMO RIM is the worst when it comes to "support" when they release new OS versions.

Well which company IS then?

Apple? Obviously not...you HAVE to get the 4s to officially get Siri...

Android? No...Because their premier phone...the Nexus wont be able to upgrade to ICS...without the hackers getting to it anyway....

I'd say that NONE of them are....because they want the money you're going to have next year too.

Doesn't make them evil or bad...just makes them a business like any other.

[pjmacklin]

i stopped a rim guy getting on an airplane the other day. told him i wanted to gnaw on him some about my 2.0 disappointment. in the course of the conversation, i mentioned my concern/paranoia that the playbook may go the way of the hp touch pad. amongst the few things he shared, he did say - without hesitation - rim is committed to the playbook.

i know, i know - what about the here and now? i agree, from a strategic/marketing perspective, what rim is putting into the playbook today just doesn't seem sufficient. but what this guy said was the tablet market is in it's infancy and rim wants to be sure when os2.0 goes public they want to get it right. it would seem, too, (and this is my speculation) 2011 has been a wash. the initial response to the playbook has been lukewarm and os7 devices are nice but haven't made that big a splash.

naive or over optimistic, 2012 may actually be rim's next "big" year. next generation smartphones, playbook os2.0 and...well i have an idea but you fill in that blank. at this point, it's a matter of wait and see. my fingers are crossed.

[BuzzStarField]

I find that most who "had to have the latest and greatest" don't often think things through (iFad for example). The tried and true is often the better option.

All I hear is complaints and regrets from those who upgraded from OS5 to OS6 on the bold - uses way more memory just to have a UI that is more in step with RIM's latest offerings...

For those who have to have the latest and greatest.

Latest and greatest all too often is not an "improvement" just a change - for the sake of change I guess?

Windows Vista was the worst example of this.

That's what kind of worries me about OS 2.0 _ I hope they don't intentionally or accidentally remove some of the nice features we have now...I actually like the tabs at the top of the UI, for example which I understand are gone...so we can be more like the "other tabs" I guess? I hate the follow the pack mentality they seem to be taking on...next thing you know we will have a "home" button....and the bezel swipes removed....

I like this thread. Very positive and informative.

BJ, I don't think you need to worry about losing the static tabs. First off, there is a dock area now. You can create folders anywhere and populate them with subfolders or icons at will. By putting frequently used folders in the dock, they are just like the current tabs, except that you can have as many as you want. When you open a folder, it overlays the exact same place as the current tab contents. You close a folder by tapping the "X" in the corner. It's really convenient.

Secondly, the pre-named tabs are replaced by more flexible unnamed tabs represented by the little dots in the row just beneath the dock. You can add as many of these unnamed tabs as you want and swipe left and right to move between them.

[JeepBB]

Well which company IS then?

Apple? Obviously not...you HAVE to get the 4s to officially get Siri...

Doesn't make them evil or bad...just makes them a business lik any other.

I'd agree with your basic point that businesses are not inherently good or bad - they are run by pragmatic business people, not by angels or devils.

But whilst giving consumers an incentive to upgrade to the 4s, Apple seems to have done "right" by their existing customers.

Yes, Siri is only available on the 4S, but IOS5 can be installed on previous generations of iPhone to give you most of what you'd get from a 4S (but without Siri or magically making your CPU clock faster! ).

It's a win-win for Apple who offer their existing customers a free OS upgrade (and so keep them sweet), and offer the "must-have-the-latest-tech" uber-fanbois a new phone with it all.

It's called marketing... something RIM should learn how to do!

[howarmat]

Well which company IS then?

Apple? Obviously not...you HAVE to get the 4s to officially get Siri...

Android? No...Because their premier phone...the Nexus wont be able to upgrade to ICS...without the hackers getting to it anyway....

I'd say that NONE of them are....because they want the money you're going to have next year too.

Doesn't make them evil or bad...just makes them a business lik any other.

apples IMO does a better job. iOS 5 works both the iphone 4 and the 3GS. There are some things like Siri that wont without some hacking but its still in beta also so they might include those 2 devices once out of beta. But for the most part those 2 phones both gain alot of benefits from iOS 5.

Some android phones also have been updated from 2.1->2.2->2.3 also. With hacking I am sure you can even get ICS on them even.

the storm 2 and he Tour and couldnt run OS 6 let alone OS 7.

Thankfully i think with BBX this will no longer be an issue and the devices should be able to run atleast 1 maybe 2 OS versions.

[kbz1960]

I'm glad they didn't put out an OS for the tour that it can't handle. Like trying to put win7 or vista on a pentium desktop.

[BuzzStarField]

really that is why many OS 5 phones couldnt upgrade to OS 6? OS 6 phones cant upgrade to OS 7? None of the current phones can upgrade to BBX? **** you cant even carry over many apps to run on the new OS that RIM release. IMO RIM is the worst when it comes to "support" when they release new OS versions.

There is no doubt that RIM has not made it easy for developers to port apps to new OSs. The major problem is they have never given much lead time and nor have they provided beta OS's much in advance of the launch of a new OS. There have always been delays in getting tools to us. Moving to touch screen devices has been a major hurdle for devs because much of the code-base needs to be re-written. It is also a fact that BB users (rightfully so) are averse to paying for upgrades. Having to absorb the cost of upgrades makes many devs reluctant to make the jump to a new OS - especially given the amount of work involved.

Note that I am not making excuses for either RIM or the developers. I just wanted to explain some of the barriers to etting new versions of software ready for the marketplace in what could be considered a timely fashion.

[BuzzStarField]

Thankfully i think with BBX this will no longer be an issue and the devices should be able to run atleast 1 maybe 2 OS versions.

This is truly what I am hoping for. Getting my AIR app onto OS7 means a complete re-write and I'm really not ready to suffer the pain. But going to the new QNX phones should be a breeze. (I hope)

EDIT: Getting back to the OPs original question, this is the main reason that there is no reason to think that RIM will withdraw support for PB. We'll be a lot closer to the IOS model where transitions from one OS to the next will be much easier then they are right now with BBOS

[elchavodellethbridge]

I am sure hoping they do not drop it like WebOS was dropped by HP. No offense to WebOS fans intended. I am enjoying my Playbook with current OS 1.0.7. Like shootsscores says" As for all the negativity, polls on this forum show that the whiners are a distinct minority. Most owners are happy with their PBs."

[glassofpinot]

...because it's not just one product, it's a defense of RIM's future as a key business solution pr4ovider. See this thread...
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...ithout-665639/

[kbz1960]

There is no doubt that RIM has not made it easy for developers to port apps to new OSs. The major problem is they have never given much lead time and nor have they provided beta OS's much in advance of the launch of a new OS. There have always been delays in getting tools to us. Moving to touch screen devices has been a major hurdle for devs because much of the code-base needs to be re-written. It is also a fact that BB users (rightfully so) are averse to paying for upgrades. Having to absorb the cost of upgrades makes many devs reluctant to make the jump to a new OS - especially given the amount of work involved.

Note that I am not making excuses for either RIM or the developers. I just wanted to explain some of the barriers to etting new versions of software ready for the marketplace in what could be considered a timely fashion.

So iOS and android users are more willing to pay for an upgrade?

[howarmat]

So iOS and android users are more willing to pay for an upgrade?

most times the apps dont need to be upgraded to work with the new OS. I havent needed to rebuy any apps so far and i cant think of any apps right off hand that didnt work on gingerbread went i upgraded from froyo. Some do but not very many

[Deathcommand]

Quite a while.

[louiefern]

doesn't seem like they're supporting it now

[blackjack93117]

doesn't seem like they're supporting it now

Things are not always as they seem.

From the great wisdom of Aesop:

The Ant and the Chrysalis

An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. The
Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,
who then saw for the first time that it was alive. "Poor, pitiable
animal!" cried the Ant disdainfully. "What a sad fate is yours!
While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, with
power only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail." The Chrysalis
heard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,
when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.
Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly
shaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
"Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied friend! Boast
now of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me to
listen." So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne along
and aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of the
Ant forever.


"Appearances are deceptive."

[BuzzStarField]

So iOS and android users are more willing to pay for an upgrade?

Barriers to creating new versions of software for new OSs have been greater for BB developers than for IOS. BB developers do not generally charge for an upgrade for new OS , instead it is more common for them absorb the additional costs. Others try to charge again for the new version but this is quite rare (because it is so unpopular with users who think that they are being ripped off). In some cases the developer does not bother to create a new version or delays development because of the extra work involved. I think that is why there are a lot of OS5 apps that are not on OS6 and OS7 touch screen devices.

In my case, I created my first BB app for AIR on the PlayBook but have not had an opportunity to port it to OS7 yet. I am not looking forward to re-designing and re-coding the entire app in Java. I would be giving away what is essentially a brand new app, simply because it had the same name as my AIR app. My customers would expect nothing less. I may just skip OS7 altogether and wait for QNX phones to come out.

[kbz1960]

Barriers to creating new versions of software for new OSs have been greater for BB developers than for IOS. BB developers do not generally charge for an upgrade for new OS , instead it is more common for them absorb the additional costs. Others try to charge again for the new version but this is quite rare (because it is so unpopular with users who think that they are being ripped off). In some cases the developer does not bother to create a new version or delays development because of the extra work involved. I think that is why there are a lot of OS5 apps that are not on OS6 and OS7 touch screen devices.

In my case, I created my first BB app for AIR on the PlayBook but have not had an opportunity to port it to OS7 yet. I am not looking forward to re-designing and re-coding the entire app in Java. I would be giving away what is essentially a brand new app, simply because it had the same name as my AIR app. My customers would expect nothing less. I may just skip OS7 altogether and wait for QNX phones to come out.

Makes sense. Guess if there is a lot of work to updating to the new OS I can see both sides. Consumer says I all ready paid for this app and now you're going to charge me again? Dev says yes but not full price but an upgrade price for the work I had to do to make your same program work on your now new OS.

This happens in every OS I assume. Like windows software will work so far into new OS versions but at some point you're going to have to get the new software for it to work.

[kb5zht]

really that is why many OS 5 phones couldnt upgrade to OS 6? OS 6 phones cant upgrade to OS 7? None of the current phones can upgrade to BBX? **** you cant even carry over many apps to run on the new OS that RIM release. IMO RIM is the worst when it comes to "support" when they release new OS versions.

You are giving him way too credit by assuming that was a sincere remark.

The motive is "defend rim no matter what". Backwards compatibility is not any more a legit excuse for RIM holding up progress on anything than any other excuse- like "just taking their time to make sure its done right", or "held by memory limitations", or... "sagitarius isnt in line with venus" or whatever.

RIM cant even give away free apps on time as an "im sorry for the outtage" so why should they be able to get a set of good, high quality apps out on time?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com