[anon(8865116)]

Deliver Android 6.0 (Marshmellow) or any OS updates faster than the other OEMs to handsets because they have a small amount of hardware? I could see this as a perk to owning Blackberry devices over any other android provider. As an IOS user, I really like the idea of not losing out on the latest updates just because the model of my phone is older than x months.

I would think carriers are the biggest unknown for me, and, they're probably most of the reason why they bbry can't do such a thing. Blackberry is only planning on selling 1-2 android devices this year so it wouldn't be that much overhead. Am I wrong?

[katesbb]

Deliver Android 6.0 (Marshmellow) or OS updates faster than the other OEMs to handsets because they 'control' the hardware?

The problem may be that BB is altering "stock" android quite a bit to create their BB version. Theory says that the more changes an OEM makes, the more difficult it is to recreate those changes for new android releases. Motorola, for example, barely modifies android at all and so *in theory* could get updates out sooner than others.

Theory and reality haven't always agreed of course

[skibnik]

Deliver Android 6.0 (Marshmellow) or any OS updates faster than the other OEMs to handsets because they have a small amount of hardware? I could see this as a perk to owning Blackberry devices over any other android provider. As an IOS user, I really like the idea of not losing out on the latest updates just because the model of my phone is older than x months.

I would think carriers are the biggest unknown for me, and, they're probably most of the reason why they bbry can't do such a thing. Blackberry is only planning on selling 1-2 android devices this year so it wouldn't be that much overhead. Am I wrong?

Perhaps for unlocked devices that are purchased directly from shop blackberry but not carrier purchased devices. I have an S6 edge with Bell and I'm still waiting for Bell to release 5.1.1 while my brothers old Sony Xperia Z has recieve it lol

[Soulstream]

So far, ONLY apple managed to sign contracts with carriers to push out updates immediately. Not even the "mighty" Samsung hasn't been able to do that.

[paulwallace1234]

So far, ONLY apple managed to sign contracts with carriers to push out updates immediately. Not even the "mighty" Samsung hasn't been able to do that.

I think that was a matter of sign this or loose hundreds of millions in sales and contracts type of deal.

Posted via CB10 v....not telling

[Soulstream]

I think that was a matter of sign this or loose hundreds of millions in sales and contracts type of deal.

Posted via CB10 v....not telling

Like BB did in the past with BIS.

[nt300]

Android in general especially stock Android is plain garbage. Can BlackBerry overcome this basic fact and make the Priv better? Who knows, ATM.

Rocking a Z30

[Prem WatsApp]

Android in general especially stock Android is plain garbage. Can BlackBerry overcome this basic fact and make the Priv better? Who knows, ATM.

Rocking a Z30

Just turned on two Gingerbread ones last night. Out of the "drawer"...

Not much difference to my wife's Moto G or that S5 (on its third battery!) I handled three days ago...

Same clunky, awkward menu system... :-)

 Ahoy, Privateers, ... get ready for some data piracy, ... or was that privacy!?! ;-) 

[Q10Bold]

Just turned on two Gingerbread ones last night. Out of the "drawer"...

Not much difference to my wife's Moto G or that S5 (on its third battery!) I handled three days ago...

Same clunky, awkward menu system... :-)

 Ahoy, Privateers, ... get ready for some data piracy, ... or was that privacy!?! ;-) 

Just like the Priv

Posted via PP

[Prem WatsApp]

Just like the Priv

Posted via PP

I believe BlackBerry has added improvements in the first iteration, and there are many more to come.

There might be hope for Android, ... courtesy of BBRY ;-D

 Privs for the Privates... go and sell, General Chen! This is a command! ;-) 

[TGR1]

So far, ONLY apple managed to sign contracts with carriers to push out updates immediately. Not even the "mighty" Samsung hasn't been able to do that.

Doesn't Microsoft also do this (handle updates themselves)? And Google with Nexus phones?

[Troy Tiscareno]

Doesn't Microsoft also do this (handle updates themselves)? And Google with Nexus phones?

In both cases, they can only update phones that are sold directly to the customer. Carrier-purchased phones (which are then supported by the carrier) have to wait for the carrier.

The whole reason for carrier approval is because the carriers (in the US) are the support entity for the phones that they sell, and so since they've been burned in the past by bad manufacturer updates bricking large numbers of phones, which the carrier then has to replace on the carrier's dime, the carriers insist on reviewing the updates - which is a valid demand. Remember that the vast majority of cellular customers in the US still buy their phones from their carriers - often on contract with an up-front subsidy - so the carrier has to protect itself.

The main reason Apple was able to get an exception for their devices is because Apple already had a chain of Apple Stores that were staffed, trained, and supplied to support iPhone buyers in case Apple bricked a bunch of phones with an update (and even then, Verizon passed on the iPhone initially due to concerns about giving Apple an exemption, which lead to AT&T making the deal). Since no other manufacturer has this infrastructure in place, they aren't going to get an exemption from the carriers regarding updates.

Which takes us back to limiting direct updates to phones sold directly to end-users without carrier involvement. Such buyers can't go to a carrier for support, and have to deal with whatever support infrastructure the manufacturer offers - which can be VERY painful in some cases....