Will RIM Deliver OS 5.0 For Older Devices Before Year’s End Or Will They Break Their Promise? [Editorial]

December 28th, 2009 @ 11:24 AM | By : Mauricio

Will RIM Deliver OS 5.0 For Older Devices Before Years End Or Will They Break Their Promise? [Editorial]

2010 is less than a week away and RIM has yet to deliver OS 5.0 for older BlackBerry devices. Back in September I posted RIM’s official statement about the release of OS 5.0 in which they said the following:

As can be expected, BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 will follow before the end of the year, as referenced in the “RIM Launches BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0″ press release that was issued at WES 2009 (http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=2309).

Besides for their official statement, RIM also released a knowledge base article (which appears to have disappeared) detailing which devices would get OS 5.0. That list included:

BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8200 series smartphones
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330 smartphones
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i smartphones
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 smartphones
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000 smartphones
BlackBerry® Storm™ 9500 series smartphones
BlackBerry® Tour™ 9630 smartphones

Even though I have a Bold 9700 with OS 5.0, I can’t help but feel disappointment towards RIM for everyone with an older BlackBerry who isn’t running OS 5.0. I know RIM is working hard on further developing the BlackBerry platform in direct competition with other smartphone brands but that’s no excuse for making a promise as big as this one with the possibility of not delivering on it.

Now for the biggest question of 2009 for RIM from all of their eagerly waiting BlackBerry fans: Will you release OS 5.0 for older devices before year’s end of will you break your promise?

By the way…like the pic?

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Tags: 2009, 2010, BlackBerry, Bold, Bold 9000, Bold 9700, Curve, Curve 8330, Curve 8350i, Curve 8900, Imma Let You Finish, Kanye West, New Year, OS 5.0, Pearl Flip, Pearl Flip 8200, Pearl Flip 8220, Pearl Flip 8230, RIM, Storm, Storm 2, Storm 9500, Storm 9530, Storm2 9520, Storm2 9550, Tour, Tour 9630

mike068

The article I read some time back did name all devices above 96MB on on-board mem. And regarding the 8330 that is at the 96MB level I read that it was up in the air if that would be included.

I believe I read this article over on Berryreview but it has been a long time so I am not exactly sure.
T-rex

I have also read the press release in question, and nowhere does it state which devices will receive the 5.0 Handheld Software. So RIM has already met their promise. There are 5.0 Handheld Software devices on the market now: the Storm 1 on Verizon, the Storm 2 and Bold 2 all have 5.0 Handheld Software. Nowhere in this press release is there a promise that all devices which are capable of running 5.0 will have it by year's end. It's just states that 5.0 will be out there. Which it is. This kinda sucks, but that's how I read it.
facebook-580675147

I agree. OS 5 is out to the masses, however it's up to the carriers if they want to release it.
and well done on the photoshop pic.
Blake

First of all, i did read the article they released and a press release regarding OS 5 for the pre-existing devices.

RIM will NOT break any promises they made. OS 5.0 has been released to the carriers. It is up to the carriers (AT&T, Verizon, etc.) to decide when they release the new OS. My guess is they are adding carrier-specific themes, ringtones, wallpaper, etc.

I am not trying to be rude with this post, but show the facts.
Mauricio E.T. | BBRocks.com

You're not being rude at all :) thanks for your comment.

If the release of OS 5.0 is dependent on the carriers then they should not have said it would be released before the end of 2009. If the carriers don't deliver RIM looks bad, not the carriers. If I had made the statement I would have said something along the lines of "We will release OS 5.0 to carriers for distribution within their network before the end of the year" instead of a general release statement in which they don't mention it being up to the carriers. Know what I mean?
Blake

definately. i think they assumed that the carriers would have release it by now. i do have to say that until recently, though, the carriers havent had much to choose from (as many leaks of the os 5 were horrible).

i also dont think RIM was thinking anyone would actually pay attention to the press release beside developers...but they were wrong there. they definately could have reworded their statements, but live and learn i guess