No update to BlackBerry 10 for current smartphones

03 May 2012

But PlayBook tablets will be offered the upgrade

RIM has come clean about upgrades to its upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system - and it is not particularly good news for current BlackBerry owners.

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has confirmed that BlackBerry 10 will not be available on any BlackBerry 7 handsets. That's because BB10 is a completely new operating system, built from scratch, so it's completely incompatible with the current OS.

Heins said: 'As tough as it is, we have to build a new platform for the next decade. BlackBerry 7 has reached its level of perfection, but the architecture and technology is unable to take us forward into the next decade.' However, he did add: 'We will keep a dedicated team of 200 for BB7 and continue to innovate in that space.'

So that is some comfort for current owners (and prospective buyers of current models), although you do suspect that the older phones and support will be gradually phased out over the coming months.

On the other hand, it's good news if you invested in a BlackBerry PlayBook, which continues to defy both the odds and its critics. Andrew Bocking, SVP of Software Product Management, confirmed that 'all PlayBooks will be upgradeable to BB10'. He also confirmed that a 4G version of the PlayBook would be available later in the year, shipping with PlayBook OS 2.0, with an update to BB10 coming some time later.

Whether that actually hits the UK probably depends on the network squabbling over 4G being sorted. That's unlikely, in light of ongoing disagreements and legal threats.

Source: TechRadar