Beta Zone will longer provide BlackBerry beta OS updates

Since the BlackBerry Beta Zone refresh in April 2016, the BlackBerry Beta Zone has been providing beta OS updates for BlackBerry smartphones, but as announced today, BlackBerry has decided they will no longer be offering beta OS releases. They will, however, still continue with offering up beta releases for their apps, such as BlackBerry Hub+ Suite.

Since we re-energized the BlackBerry Beta Zone in April 2016 with device OS beta programs, it has been an amazing ride! We've received great feedback, confirmation on existing issues, and squashed many, many bugs. It was an awesome opportunity to engage with everyone who love their BlackBerry smartphones and want to see a top-quality product. Just to show you what I mean, let me show you the numbers:

  • Nearly 3,000 registered participants;
  • Over 9,200 bug reports generated by the community;
  • Over 1,600 forum threads created;
  • 300+ new defect reports created by the community; and
  • Discovery of thousands of defects linked to existing known issues.

Some of you may have heard that BlackBerry is focusing on our great software and security as we start to license our brand and security know-how to our partners who will build, market and support all-new BlackBerry smartphones. Going forward, we will likewise change the way we run our Beta programs. We will continue to support BlackBerry Beta Zone, but focused on our BlackBerry Hub+ Suite of applications.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has registered for the Beta program over the years and contributed to our products. I look forward to our ongoing engagement with Hub+ for not only our BlackBerry smartphone users, but those you of who have other brands of Android smartphones and just can't get enough of BlackBerry software.

Personally speaking, I don't think this move should come as a surprise to anyone. The BlackBerry Beta Zone has been winding down for a while and the last beta OS update that was officially announced through there was back in January, although, folks still continued to receive a couple beta OS builds after that.

Here's an update for people who were participating in the Android M beta programs.

We've received a number of questions about the status of the beta programs and the devices that were participating. We did send out an email this morning to all of the registered Beta Zone accounts, containing details about removing your device from the beta program, but the details may not have reached everyone. Here's some additional details for each program!

Android M on DTEK50 There is nothing needed from you to leave the beta program: diagnostic reporting ended on your device in March, and you are now in the very first group to receive production updates when they are released by BlackBerry.

Android M on DTEK60 Diagnostic reporting will end on your device automatically at the end of April, and you are now in the very first group to receive production updates when they are released by BlackBerry. If you wish to disable diagnostic reporting now, you can do so in Settings > Developer options > Log collection > Diagnostic settings > General settings > Capture (set it to Off).

Android M on PRIV Here's some steps you can take to remove diagnostic reporting from your device:

  • [Optional] Open the Phone app dialer pad, and enter *#*#GETTOKEN#*#* (which is: *#*#43886536#*#*), then in the pop-up window tap Start, then Save, then restart your device

  • [Recommended] Disable diagnostic reporting now, in Settings > Developer options > Log collection > Diagnostic settings > General settings > Capture (set it to Off).

You are also now in the very first group to receive production updates when they are released by BlackBerry. This includes AT&T-variant devices that were participating in the beta program.

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