[dcgore]

Wondering if RIM will change practice with BB10 and be in charge of releasing OS updates like Apple does with iOS devices.

[James Nieves]

This has been discussed here many times. OTA (Over the air) updates come from RIM for the Playbook. Because BB10 is built on the same foundation it's likely early builds will be pushed to carriers for testing and then some go ahead would be sent to RIM upon verification and then RIM not the carrier would push the update... BB10 is set to fix a lot of old blackberry paradigms Hopefully we'll still have a removable batter like the Galaxy s3

[Oncastillo]

Nope, any updates will come directly from RIM.

[lonedog]

We can only hope that the updates will come from RIM instead of the carriers. The current process of sending updates to the carriers so they can "test" them has long been a thorn in everyone's side. Some carriers are so slow in releasing updates and this only hurts RIM, not the carriers.

[siddo_d]

I hope RIM replicates the playbook UE, the reason people do not update the normal blackberry way because its 'long' so RIM should do OTA BB10 updates as it will fix issues quicker and you do not have to wait months for your carrier to make roll out a OS

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using CrackBerry forums application

[BlackBerry Guy]

It's suppose to use delta updates, which would bypass the carriers' need to test and certify OS updates for their network.

[emtunc]

Not sure how well this will go down with carriers... you get those annoying providers who want to block NFC, tamper with bridge apps to block tethering, bloat the OS with BS apps, etcetera.

Hopefully updates will stay in RIM's hands. Easier management and no slow bs excuses from anyone else.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[Xopher]

For some reason, my brain thinks that the carriers will at least have a small hand in things. The main reason that the Playbook doesn't have to worry about carrier interference is no cell radios. Since the BB10 devices will make calls over carrier networks, at least the radio portions will need to go through the carrier. I don't know if RIM will have a way to update a portion of the OS (non-cellular radio functions) bypassing the carriers or not. Unless they can split the functions, it will have to still go through the carrier for their update delays... er... radio tests...

[peter9477]

In reference to Xopher's comment, we've heard before that this is a key part of RIM's strategy with the PlayBook and now BB10.

The radio "stack" can be tested by the carriers, then locked down and the rest of the OS can be updated separately without requiring carrier review, at least in principle.

This isn't nearly so simple, or sometimes even possible, with more monolithic operating systems, but the architecture of QNX makes it much more straightforward to contemplate something like this.

Yet another reason to expect that RIM will have some real competitive strengths in the coming years.

[mrfreeze]

I hope this is all true! It would be amazing for RIM to push down updates and upgrades often and not need carrier approval.

RIM needs to become very nimble and this would allow that.

[Klotar]

For some reason, my brain thinks that the carriers will at least have a small hand in things. The main reason that the Playbook doesn't have to worry about carrier interference is no cell radios. Since the BB10 devices will make calls over carrier networks, at least the radio portions will need to go through the carrier. I don't know if RIM will have a way to update a portion of the OS (non-cellular radio functions) bypassing the carriers or not. Unless they can split the functions, it will have to still go through the carrier for their update delays... er... radio tests...

Good points. To add to it, I believe that certain functions can still be locked down by carrier (as opposed to by THE carrier), by using the vendor ID # coded into each device. For example, like how BB Maps was (is?) prevented by default from loading onto AT&T devices, or how the 2G & 3G setting in Mobile Network was disabled on AT&T devices but worked on all other carrier devices running the same OS.

So I think that if Carrier X wanted to have say, NFC disabled on all Carrier X devices, that could still be done even though the update is pushed out through RIM instead of the carrier themselves.

[neller2000]

We can only hope that the updates will come from RIM instead of the carriers. The current process of sending updates to the carriers so they can "test" them has long been a thorn in everyone's side. Some carriers are so slow in releasing updates and this only hurts RIM, not the carriers.

You do realize the updates will still need carrier approval, which is what takes a long time. Even my vanilla Samsung Galaxy Nexus is under Verizon's iron fist when it comes to timely updates and it's supposed to be easy with that one.

RIM will have to test the update, then send it to the carrier so they can test it, then the carrier will give the go ahead to RIM and then RIM will push the update.

[peter9477]

neller, no, that's exactly what some believe is no longer the case. I think they've said that updates which do NOT modify the radio stack or things like that which could affect the cellular network or other carrier services will in general not require the carrier approval.

Presumably this will be part of their agreement with the carriers, but whatever the case it's technically feasible to do this, and desirable for various other reasons. Carriers will generally appreciate it as well, since it should reduce the load on them and better serve their customers.

[walcolm]

i think the feedback and end user enthusiasm on PB updates should have made it clear to RIM by now that releasing updates directly is the way to go

[jstarett]

Didn't Thor already state that all future updates will come directly from rim except the "cell stack" which will come from your carrier?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry App