Speaking at a BlackBerry World press conference, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has admitted that the company has no plans to offer BlackBerry 10 updates for existing devices that run the BlackBerry 7 OS. The company has yet to announce a consumer device that will be powered by the new OS, though developers will be able to test apps on the Dev Alpha handset.
Although BlackBerry 10 is viewed as an upgrade from the existing OS, the company appears to be planning to release new BlackBerry 7 handsets even after the new OS arrives. The only device that has been confirmed to receive a BB10 update is the PlayBook tablet.
The revamped OS brings a new approach to menu organization and multitasking, enabling users to quickly swipe between communication and productivity panes. The company has also developed a virtual keyboard that mimics the characteristic BlackBerry layout, complete with virtual frets, and brings shortcut gestures for frequently typed words.
BlackBerry 10 and related devices are expected to arrive sometime before the end of the year.
I think we all pretty much knew this before we purchased our BB7 devices. BB10 needs different hardware to operate. The good part about it is by the time more BB10 devices are launched it will be time to upgrade. I don't intend to jump right in until all the bugs are out of BB10.
I think we all pretty much knew this before we purchased our BB7 devices. BB10 needs different hardware to operate. The good part about it is by the time more BB10 devices are launched it will be time to upgrade. I don't intend to jump right in until all the bugs are out of BB10.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk
I agree ... It was also my understanding that the hardware requirements are different for BB10 and allowing the BB7 devices to 'update' would create a poor user environment, which we want to avoid at this point. Also, I too plan to get a BB10 device pretty quickly after release however it will only be feasible if they still have some sort of upgrade program so I can turn my old phone in and receive a rebate on the new one.
who in their right mind expected this to be able to happen?! I doubt my 9900 would have the HP to run BB10
That is exactly why it can't. RIM said bb10 required dual core which no current bb other than the playbook has which is why thats the only one that will be updated to bb10
Well, at least it is nice to get this expected fact as an official announcement.
I thought it was officially announced right around when the bb7 devices came out? It's no shock to me. Nor should it be to anyone following the news like most on this site.
I still don't regret buying my 9790.
RIM can say they don't want to spend the time to do it and I will understand. But as a person that works with processors everyday... The one in oS7 phones is more than powerful enough to run bb10. So for all you saying it CAN'T be done you are wrong. Its a matter of writing code, and optimizing it to run on the hardware of bb7 phones. Me personally I think RIM should have done it just as a thank you for still buying our phones and sticking with us even though we are the laughing stock of the industry. Even better they should have put dual core processors oin OS7 phone(if they knew they would be releasing os10 in about two years) so they could be upgraded. RIM has a lot of work to do to repair their image and perception around the industry.
RIM can say they don't want to spend the time to do it and I will understand. But as a person that works with processors everyday... The one in oS7 phones is more than powerful enough to run bb10. So for all you saying it CAN'T be done you are wrong. Its a matter of writing code, and optimizing it to run on the hardware of bb7 phones. Me personally I think RIM should have done it just as a thank you for still buying our phones and sticking with us even though we are the laughing stock of the industry. Even better they should have put dual core processors oin OS7 phone(if they knew they would be releasing os10 in about two years) so they could be upgraded. RIM has a lot of work to do to repair their image and perception around the industry.
I think your over simplifying the task. They have YET to release a QNX OS for a phone. That being said, unless your part of the development team you cant really know what they pushed around (worked or not worked) for current gen hardware. It just might not have worked well and became a bit of a nightmare they didnt want or needed. Clean break in the long run is best.
Everyone in their hardware division should be fired (at least the decision makers. The dual-core tech has been around for over 1 and half year, and shipping SOME BB7 phones that has the hardware to run BB10 should have been planned.
Have you heard about the new Curves announced today? They are DOA as they wont run the new OS. How dumb is that?
Because they still need to sell phones between now and BB10, and because BB7 isn't going to be dead upon the release of BB10, as so many here seem to want to believe.
Everyone in their hardware division should be fired (at least the decision makers. The dual-core tech has been around for over 1 and half year, and shipping SOME BB7 phones that has the hardware to run BB10 should have been planned.
Have you heard about the new Curves announced today? They are DOA as they wont run the new OS. How dumb is that?
We really don't need to revisit all the why's and wherefore's of RIM's hardware strategy between BB6 and BB10. The reasons for BB's being single-core now have been plainly and repeatedly stated. This is how they are doing it, and we all pretty much knew it before BB7 dropped. No different than the vast majority of BB5 and Bb6 devices that cannot run their successor OS's.
