Force carriers to push software updates.

BlackBerry must convince/force carriers world-wide to push software updates as soon as is reasonably possible. Otherwise, non-tech savy customers will find the BB experience as sub-par and switch.

I recently went to a BestBuy on an unrelated matter and took a moment to look at the BlackBerry display. Not only was it at the back of the store in a corner (virtually impossible to find, no exaggeration) but the software version the 9900 was running was a heavily bug-prone 7.0.X.XXX. I find anything 7.0 virtually unusable, I can't imagine what a new customer would think.
The same issue was highlighted by a visiting friend from Hong Kong (I'm in NYC) who bemoaned his 9900/30 (I forget which) as slow, bug-heavy, and unstable. Only after I updated his phone (backup, wipe, install, restore) was his faith in BB somewhat restored.

BlackBerry produces an amazing line of products which I feel are superior in function to its competitors. This functionality however is severely undermined by phones running old unstable software (like 7.0) that the general populace does not know how to update (e.g. my mother).
BlackBerry must convince/force carriers to push push software updates as soon as is reasonably possible to ensure all customers are getting the full undiluted BB experience. Data usage is an issue sure, in this case the user should have an option to only download and install when there's a wifi connection.

I love my BlackBerry 9900 and my PBook, long live RIM.

The one huge problem I see with this is the effect this would have on one carrier as opposed to another.

It is a fairly well known problem that an OS update may do wonderful things for devices on one or more carrier networks it will "break" things on others.

Forcing the carriers to push out an OS update just for the sake of being as current as possible is simply a bad idea. The carrier has to be sure that the OS functions for the device that they release as they will be responsible for supporting any customer that may have issues resulting from said update.

Thank goodness ATT (and maybe others,too) is not pushing the latest 7.1. Better to let the carriers pick their OS.

That said better OS in the first place would be good. Speeding a device out the door and continuing to upgrade the OS is well and good if the first option is a very good one. Then small patches may be welcomed.

I wish they could make it as simple as possible. I don't know if a lot of people would be able to update the software without major problems and tie up customer service for hours. If it is so hard for the averange non- techie to upgrade, it might make a person dislike the BB even more.

How would RIM force the carriers? What leverage do they have?

Actually that makes me think of another point, I wonder if BB10 will come free of carrier bloatware?

I am correct in assuming that going forward BB10 won't have this issue of waiting for the carrier since you will be able to update OTA straight from RIM (ala the PlayBook)?

Originally Posted by newcollector

I am correct in assuming that going forward BB10 won't have this issue of waiting for the carrier since you will be able to update OTA straight from RIM (ala the PlayBook)?

I doubt it - they might have the technical ability to do this but that is not the same as the carriers permitting it.

Or, you know, could install the latest update yourself. :D

Originally Posted by newcollector

I am correct in assuming that going forward BB10 won't have this issue of waiting for the carrier since you will be able to update OTA straight from RIM (ala the PlayBook)?

Supposedly that's what they will be able to do, as BB10 will allow for delta updates, basically where only the changes from one version to the other are written, and not the entire OS.

As they're not touching the radio file (the actual thing the carriers are testing for compatibility), this would allow them to go OTA direct to the user without carrier approval.

Originally Posted by Joshua_X

Or, you know, could install the latest update yourself. :D

This does, you know, like miss the point, completely :p