Future major OS upgrades for BB7 & BB10?

**Kryngle** · 02-01-2013, 10:27 AM

Whats up CrackBerry nation. Now that BlackBerry FINALLY released the new BB10. I am just curious if y'all think BlackBerry should have no excuse for allowing the new devices to get future major OS upgrades? I personally feel that RIM at the time has stiffed us a bit with the major OS upgrades. I mean, how many BB5 got to get the BB6 upgrades,1??? Well hopefully these new devices will at least get 1 major OS upgrade. As for BB7. Do you guys/girls think those devices will get major OS upgrades as well? BB8 perhaps? Time will tell. Hope BlackBerry plays it smart this time around and not have people having to buy a new device just to be up to date. What do y'all think?

**joeldf** · 02-01-2013, 10:43 AM

At least 2 OS 5 devices got 6 - the 9100 (except "officially" from AT&T) and the 9700. Can't remember if any Curves got it. You needed at least 256mb of ram and a trackpad.

But you're right in that very few BBs got big OS version jumps. Hopefully with the QNX based OS, upgrades - even big ones - will be easier.

**pirerman** · 02-01-2013, 10:52 AM

they were actually 3 the 9300, 9700 and the 9100 the storm 2 skipped this update because of the processor

**joeldf** · 02-01-2013, 10:59 AM

Ah yes, forgot the 9300 came out with 5, but got 6 soon after.

**LazyEvul** · 02-01-2013, 11:03 AM

From a development standpoint, QNX should make it immensely easy to provide a major OS upgrade to BlackBerry 10 devices. It's more a matter of whether or not BlackBerry decides there's a financial advantage. I reckon that BB10 devices will be treated to BB11 (possibly with some features neutered due to hardware limitations) to keep customers coming back, but the major update after will no longer be offered to BB10 devices. This is just pure speculation on my part however, only time will really tell.

**jpvj** · 02-01-2013, 11:05 AM

I don't think we will see a BBOS 8 release.

~~RIM~~ BlackBerry probably has some devices in the pipe for the emerging markets, so BB 7.2 might not be out of the question.

Due to the relatively hign number of strange issues with the current OS I would expect BlackBerry to launch BB10 on a cheap device for these markets within 1-2 years, so they finally can put BBOS to sleep.

/JP

**Kryngle** · 02-01-2013, 11:07 AM

This is were BlackBerry needs to capitalize on their mistakes the first time around and make sure that these new devices will be able to upgrade. Time to end the lack of major OS upgrades for these devices. I also thimk BlackBerry should bypass carriers and post OS updates on their sites. Carrier companies lack to post up good OS.

**LazyEvul** · 02-01-2013, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Kryngle

This is were BlackBerry needs to capitalize on their mistakes the first time around and make sure that these new devices will be able to upgrade. Time to end the lack of major OS upgrades for these devices. I also thimk BlackBerry should bypass carriers and post OS updates on their sites. Carrier companies lack to post up good OS.

I'm really hoping they bypass the carriers with OS updates, it's an absolutely awful way of getting them out. Telus is four or five updates behind on my 9810, for instance, and the last few updates have improved responsiveness, battery life, and even added native LED customization. These are all improvements that the average consumer is missing out on, because they likely have no idea how to download the latest OS from another carrier and install it themselves.

**timmy t** · 02-01-2013, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by LazyEvul

I'm really hoping they bypass the carriers with OS updates, it's an absolutely awful way of getting them out. Telus is four or five updates behind on my 9810, for instance, and the last few updates have improved responsiveness, battery life, and even added native LED customization. These are all improvements that the average consumer is missing out on, because they likely have no idea how to download the latest OS from another carrier and install it themselves.

It probably depends on how much the carriers modify the vanilla OS. For instance, if they just put their corporate images on the boot up, then it would be easy for them to modify that quickly and allow it for download. If they make major changes or add functionality to differentiate between themselves and the competition, it might take longer and they would not want BlackBerry to allow direct updates. Maybe an unlocked phone could get the update directly from BlackBerry.

**BB_Bmore** · 02-01-2013, 11:20 AM

I was actually wondering if the new curve line would be based off of Qnx or BBOS.

Can they build a Qnx budget phone? Dual core 2gig of Ram is what BB10 needs no?

Could the new curve line be OS8?
Many of the apps apparently need the two gig of Ram to work this is why the dev alpha devices cannot have some of the new features and apps. I assume when and if PlayBooks get BB10 it will be a stripped down version as well.

So if Qnx needs premium hardware, how will they build a low end BB10 phone?

Maybe BBOS is not dead after all?

Sent from my BlackBerry by. Choice using Tapatalk

**LazyEvul** · 02-01-2013, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by timmy t

It probably depends on how much the carriers modify the vanilla OS. For instance, if they just put their corporate images on the boot up, then it would be easy for them to modify that quickly and allow it for download. If they make major changes or add functionality to differentiate between themselves and the competition, it might take longer and they would not want BlackBerry to allow direct updates. Maybe an unlocked phone could get the update directly from BlackBerry.

The only modification Telus ever made to OS 7.1, to my knowledge, was the splash screen. None of the features have been neutered, and there is no bloatware included.

**Skeevecr** · 02-01-2013, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by jpvj

I don't think we will see a BBOS 8 release.

~~RIM~~ BlackBerry probably has some devices in the pipe for the emerging markets, so BB 7.2 might not be out of the question.

Due to the relatively hign number of strange issues with the current OS I would expect BlackBerry to launch BB10 on a cheap device for these markets within 1-2 years, so they finally can put BBOS to sleep.

I agree, we'll see updates to the various apps like fb, twitter, bbm etc. but nothing new beyond that.

I also would not be surprised to see an update to the 9320 this year as prices on bb10 devices won't be low enough for that part of the market for at least another year.

**blue_k** · 02-01-2013, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by BB-Bmore

Can they build a Qnx budget phone? Dual core 2gig of Ram is what BB10 needs no?

All current PB will be getting BB10, so no. The PB has enough power for it, and that hardware is pretty old. Dual core OMAP4430, and only a gig of RAM.

**Concession** · 02-01-2013, 05:07 PM

Hopefully the Playbook will be a good model for the kind support future bb10 phones have. The Playbook was a "failure" and when it gets BB10 it will have been out for 2 years. That's longer support than any android device has ever received from its manufacturer. Since the BB10 phones will (hopefully) sell more than the playbook, I hope they will be supported for just as long if not longer.

**irrebkcalB** · 02-01-2013, 06:21 PM

There might be minor tweaks to OS7 but it's nearing the end of the line for that venerable system. My better half has a 9930 and loves it. A much better phone than my tragically departed 9650 that was got upgraded to OS6 soon after I got it. I liked OS5 as I found it quicker at basic functions than OS6. The 9930 is a really nice BB.

BB10 will receive continual updates but these will be throttled by the carriers. QNX allows differentiated updates meaning that individual processes and process systems can be tweaked on the fly so to say. The PB will be updated but because it has less processing power, processes will have to be reprioritized. QNX prioritizes processes according to the availability of system resources. Partitions and/or priority define how much of the processing resources are dedicated to maintaining the UI for instance - this is why the UI is so stable- and why reboots generally fix everything every time.

BB10.0.0000 will receive updates no matter what dual core is running it. BB7 has been pretty much maxed out.

**jakie55** · 02-01-2013, 11:01 PM

The whole Lenovo thing may well be the way BlackBerry gets the low cost BB10 devices to emerging markets. The other advantage is that way they have a ready in to the greatest Tech market in the world...no, not North America, but China.

**kfh227** · 02-01-2013, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by joeldf

At least 2 OS 5 devices got 6 - the 9100 (except "officially" from AT&T) and the 9700. Can't remember if any Curves got it. You needed at least 256mb of ram and a trackpad.

But you're right in that very few BBs got big OS version jumps. Hopefully with the QNX based OS, upgrades - even big ones - will be easier.

Ya, that's one of my gripes with Android. It's admittedly partly due to fragmentation. But my Android OS is 2 versions out of date now. I can't even get Chrome for it.

If RIMM does this, long term people will notice. Wow! I don't need a new phone every 2 years (hardware) jsut to get he latest features (software). Yippeeee!

**Skeevecr** · 02-02-2013, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by kfh227

If RIMM does this, long term people will notice. Wow! I don't need a new phone every 2 years (hardware) jsut to get he latest features (software). Yippeeee!

In some ways that is actually a bad thing for rim, a large part of the rise of apple is due to the yearly upgrade cycle that they have managed to convince a lot of their customers to stick with, whereas there are probably still millions of os5 devices out there.

Hopefully, they will find ways to encourage more regular upgrades without resorting to keeping new features away from the older bb10 handsets at that time.

**halw** · 02-06-2013, 09:59 AM

So, has there been any official word on what's going to happen with pre-BB10 OS support?

**unbreakablej** · 02-06-2013, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Skeevecr

In some ways that is actually a bad thing for rim, a large part of the rise of apple is due to the yearly upgrade cycle that they have managed to convince a lot of their customers to stick with, whereas there are probably still millions of os5 devices out there.

Hopefully, they will find ways to encourage more regular upgrades without resorting to keeping new features away from the older bb10 handsets at that time.

One of the reasons i refused to get an iPhone. Such a waste of the earth's resources. It is insane how my bold is still working fine (well, camera is spoilt because i drowned it twice) after about 3 years. But you are right that is how apple stays so profitabld

**val_lixembeau** · 02-06-2013, 12:25 PM

I think BB7 is the end of the line (a 9900 is a year and a half old by now?). But I kind of consider 7.1 to be a "next gen" OS. It's close to as big a jump as 7 was from 6.

I haven't tried other devices, but on the 9900 I think from 7 to the newer 7.1 releases, there was a pretty big improvement in battery life. They added parental controls and device analyser. I think the wifi media sharing was introduced in 7.1 too? In any case, the difference between a just released 9900 and a 9900 on the latest firmware load is pretty big in my book.