[grahamf]

BlackBerry OS 6 beta builds now offered in Beta Zone - BlackBerry Blast!

Research in Motion has announced that they will now offer consumers the ability to download beta version of BlackBerry 6 for select devices and carriers, from the BlackBerry Beta Zone. At this time only customers from the US, UK, and Canada with access to the beta software. It looks like RIM is trying to compete with the onslaught of leaked OS's floating around the Internet.

Could this possibly mean that RIM could be trying to slowly remove the carrier from the OS release equation? Many of the newer devices have had OS 6 leaked for them, but nothing official on the big carriers. This could theoretically be a test drive for releasing OS updates directly to the users without going to the carriers first. If successful, RIM could possibly simply release OS updates to limited beta users, and if the build is satisfactory RIM can make the updates available for all.

Thoughts?

[BoldtotheMax]

There is already official releases of os6...been for awhile now.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[grahamf]

There is already official releases of os6...been for awhile now.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Pearl 3G = OS 5 from AT&T, Bell, Rogers, Telus.
Curve 3G = OS 5 from AT&T, Bell, Rogers, telus
Bold 9700 = OS 5 From AT&T, Bell, ROgers, Telus.

All of these have OS 6 leaked. none of them have an official release.

And no, the Sprint/VZW version is not compatible, let alone classified as official for the AT&T etc devices.

[sleepngbear]

Could this possibly mean that RIM could be trying to slowly remove the carrier from the OS release equation? Many of the newer devices have had OS 6 leaked for them, but nothing official on the big carriers. This could theoretically be a test drive for releasing OS updates directly to the users without going to the carriers first. If successful, RIM could possibly simply release OS updates to limited beta users, and if the build is satisfactory RIM can make the updates available for all.

Thoughts?

If this is where they're going with it, I like it. I'm sure the carriers won't mind, either - one less service for them to worry about supporting.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[pr1nce]

BlackBerry OS 6 beta builds now offered in Beta Zone - BlackBerry Blast!


Could this possibly mean that RIM could be trying to slowly remove the carrier from the OS release equation? Many of the newer devices have had OS 6 leaked for them, but nothing official on the big carriers. This could theoretically be a test drive for releasing OS updates directly to the users without going to the carriers first. If successful, RIM could possibly simply release OS updates to limited beta users, and if the build is satisfactory RIM can make the updates available for all.

Thoughts?

Verizon and Sprint have released their BB 6 official versions.

[grahamf]

Verizon and Sprint have released their BB 6 official versions.

But most carriers haven't.

[ridesno159]

Research in Motion has announced that they will now offer consumers the ability to download beta version of BlackBerry 6 for select devices and carriers, from the BlackBerry Beta Zone. At this time only customers from the US, UK, and Canada with access to the beta software. It looks like RIM is trying to compete with the onslaught of leaked OS's floating around the Internet.

I don't think RIM is trying to bypass the carriers at all to put out OS'. I think this is more of a way to help carriers test and release OS' faster. If RIM wanted to release an OS to us they would.

I'm not sure how RIM would compete with themselves on releasing OS' either. That doesn't make much sense to me...

Even if RIM would start releasing OS' straight to us the carrier would still be involved. They are the ones who will need to provide support to their customers when they have issues. So they will still need to test and release for their own customers. I'm sure carriers would see zero difference between a leaked OS, and a RIM released OS. Is there even a difference at all?