RIM promises BlackBerry updates while you work

[DiggerB9]

RIM promises BlackBerry updates while you work | News | TechRadar

The more I here the more I get excited and the more impatient I become!

[Sith_Apprentice]

"
Bhardwaj goes on to say that the new system will allow carriers to push out OS updates to future BlackBerry devices running BB10 a lot quicker.
"It's going to help us speed up carrier certification," he added. "If we're trying to trying to tweak something and the radio needs updating for the carrier too, now we can separate those. That leads to faster upgrades, less regression testing and more stability"."




WORST part of that article. Keep the carriers out of the software updates....

[BitPusher2600]

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

Keep the carriers out of the software updates....

Couldn't possibly agree more.

[Palmless]

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

WORST part of that article. Keep the carriers out of the software updates....

AGREED.

I think now that folks have experienced just how little the carriers add, and how much better/smoother/faster the update process goes when it comes direct from the manufacturer, there will be little tolerance for the delay and problems caused by carrier certification/"enhancement".

RIM needs to come out strong with BBX/10 as having a direct from manufacturer update model.

[ubizmo]

My SideKick got updates pushed to the device back in 2003. But even then, the carriers (first only T-Mobile US, but others came on board) got to have different versions of the OS, with different features. Strictly speaking, all were sent out from Danger to the devices, but the carriers had a say in what got pushed.

I wouldn't expect it to be any different in BB10. Carriers will continue to decide what features they support, and they're not likely to tolerate versions that they don't support being pushed over their network over devices under contract to them.

[Palmless]

Originally Posted by ubizmo

My SideKick got updates pushed to the device back in 2003. But even then, the carriers (first only T-Mobile US, but others came on board) got to have different versions of the OS, with different features. Strictly speaking, all were sent out from Danger to the devices, but the carriers had a say in what got pushed.

I wouldn't expect it to be any different in BB10. Carriers will continue to decide what features they support, and they're not likely to tolerate versions that they don't support being pushed over their network over devices under contract to them.

Sad to say, I agree with you. It will be the same flawed model.

BB creates an update and tests it. Sends it to the carriers. Over the next weeks and months, the carriers tweak it, add stuff like VCast, take stuff out, and release it when they decide to release it.

A user of a BBX/10 phone on carrier "A" will have the update RIMM created, soon after release.

Carrier "B" might skip that update.

Carrier "C" will release it eight weeks late, with some "improvements" that either add bloat or take something away.

The solution is so obvious, demand the right to release the clean update directly to the user. It isn't just that the old model is bad for the user (it is), but it also telegraphs RIMM's lack of clout with the carriers.

[sam_b77]

So now that it would be an OTA we wouldn't be able to download some other carrier's OS and load it onto the device? Would make me mad if my carrier is a d!ck, which most are.

[Draconianfire83]

Actuallythe only piece that Carriers have control over is Radio files (what controls how the device connects to the carrier network. OSs will be the same across all BB10 devices. Carriers will be able to push Service Books onto devices which are what give you those "app" like shortcuts to download carrier specific services and apps.

So for example... RIM has an update to the BB10 OS and it has nothing to do with the network Radio files... Then RIM, not the carrier, will push that to ALL BB10 devices (like they do with current playbooks)... Which is good! All Carriers use different Radio files, so those are the only pieces that need Carrier approval.

Hope this makes sense. I'm thinking apps like Bridge may continue to be subjected to carrier approval because they use the Carriers network to function... like AT&T blocks Bridge Browsing because they want to charge for tethering fees. So, OS updates will come from RIM and RIM only unless it is Radio files.

[mithrazor]

Originally Posted by Draconianfire83

Actuallythe only piece that Carriers have control over is Radio files (what controls how the device connects to the carrier network. OSs will be the same across all BB10 devices. Carriers will be able to push Service Books onto devices which are what give you those "app" like shortcuts to download carrier specific services and apps.

So for example... RIM has an update to the BB10 OS and it has nothing to do with the network Radio files... Then RIM, not the carrier, will push that to ALL BB10 devices (like they do with current playbooks)... Which is good! All Carriers use different Radio files, so those are the only pieces that need Carrier approval.

Hope this makes sense. I'm thinking apps like Bridge may continue to be subjected to carrier approval because they use the Carriers network to function... like AT&T blocks Bridge Browsing because they want to charge for tethering fees. So, OS updates will come from RIM and RIM only unless it is Radio files.

So what you're saying is as long as nothing with the radio is changed, RIM can push out an update (granted it's just for the OS not anything to do with the radio), they can simultaneously for every user?

[Palmless]

Originally Posted by Draconianfire83

Then RIM, not the carrier, will push that to ALL BB10 devices (like they do with current playbooks)... Which is good! All Carriers use different Radio files, so those are the only pieces that need Carrier approval.

Playbook is not affiliated with any carrier, it is not sound to extrapolate the playbook update experience to BBX/10 phones.

[bbpandy]

RIM has said a while ago that they are going to take updates out of the hands of Carriers. This backs up that statment. RIM will do their own updates, & then AT&T can release their updates too...however their updates will be restricted to only the radio files.

Originally Posted by Palmless

Playbook is not affiliated with any carrier, it is not sound to extrapolate the playbook update experience to BBX/10 phones.

@ Palmless
I don't see anything wrong extrapolating the PlayBook update experience with BBX phones becuase A, RIM has said that BBX is based on PB OS & 2 they are talking about the radio files.....right now the PB's don't have radio files, so they are probably talking about radio files on BBX phones (& yea I know 3.5G PBs are coming)

.....also RIM didn't say BB10 Phones, or even PlayBooks. They said "BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system" That refers to both phones & PBs

[ubizmo]

It's not about what RIM can or can't do. RIM has the NOC, the backend servers that handle the push technology. RIM's customers are the carriers, not the end users. Each carrier will approve its version of the OS. RIM will push that version to that carrier's customers when the carrier says so.

The way it worked on the SideKick was the user would suddenly see a popup notice onscreen, saying an upgrade was available. We could accept it or decline it. If we accepted it, the device would be unusable until the download and installation were complete. If we declined, the notice would reappear later. Interestingly, end users received the updates over a period of weeks, in random order, to avoid bringing the network to its knees.

I don't claim that RIM will do it the same way, but it was a workable model. I see no reason to think that all carriers will get exactly the same update at the same time, even with RIM pushing them out to the phones.

[Palmless]

Originally Posted by ubizmo

It's not about what RIM can or can't do. RIM has the NOC, the backend servers that handle the push technology. RIM's customers are the carriers, not the end users. Each carrier will approve its version of the OS. RIM will push that version to that carrier's customers when the carrier says so.

I just don't think enough customers will stand for it anymore. Once they've experienced day one updates on every device, regardless of carrier, I don't think they'll go back.

If it is at all possible for RIM to demand that the carriers get out of the way, they must. Apple did, and reaped the benefits. RIM can't start the race ten steps behind, with some folks holding one month old phones that can't get an update because the carrier drags its feet while the same device on another carrier is quickly updated.

RIM has 75 million users, why not tell the carriers "It's our way or the highway, we do the OS updates or you don't get the highly anticipated BBX/10 phones with the keyboards users love".

[ubizmo]

Originally Posted by Palmless

I just don't think enough customers will stand for it anymore. Once they've experienced day one updates on every device, regardless of carrier, I don't think they'll go back.

If it is at all possible for RIM to demand that the carriers get out of the way, they must. Apple did, and reaped the benefits. RIM can't start the race ten steps behind, with some folks holding one month old phones that can't get an update because the carrier drags its feet while the same device on another carrier is quickly updated.

RIM has 75 million users, why not tell the carriers "It's our way or the highway, we do the OS updates or you don't get the highly anticipated BBX/10 phones with the keyboards users love".

I see your point but I don't think it's going to go that way. Apple has a different business model. They sell directly to consumers. RIM doesn't. RIM has done business with the carriers from the start. OTA upgrades will get pushed through their networks. Users will never experience day one updates, so they won't know what they're missing.

[phoreoneone]

i hope its ota updates just like it is for the playbook.

i do not want extra carrier junk on my precious playbook. the last thing i need is for it to be slowed down by junk