Verizon BlackBerry 6 Upgrade Guide spotted in retail store
More good news on the Verizon OS 6 front. Eagle-eyed forums member maddog241 spotted this booklet in a local Verizon retail store. Certainly at this point the guide shouldn't have been out in plain view, but it is yet another sign that BlackBerry 6 for the Bold 9650 and/or Curve 3G (hopefully) draws near. We've had a few other hints here and there lately leading us to believe OS 6 is getting closer, but still no 100% solid proof. Leaving DevCon this year, the consensus was that all supported devices would see BlackBerry 6 by the end of the year, but as that isn't looking so true at this point, add this to the rumor pile for now and we'll keep crossing our fingers. Keep reading for more images.
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Verizon BlackBerry 6 Upgrade Guide




DickLewis Dec 22, 2010 at 10:52 am
It would be about time. Disappointed that it has taken Verizon Wireless so long to get us the OS 6 update. Time will tell I guess.
Stang68 Dec 22, 2010 at 10:53 am
Awesome! Just in time for OS6 to not be relevant anymore!
clickclick Dec 22, 2010 at 10:55 am
Haha- I still want OS6, but I entirely echo your sentiment.
Culex316 Dec 22, 2010 at 11:09 am
Yeah, if it's a newer build than .333 for the Bold 9650 then shit, I'll be waiting in line for this to officially drop.
mrcmrobinson Dec 22, 2010 at 11:13 am
And please do, but is that a storm in the pictures?
Adam Zeis Dec 22, 2010 at 11:19 am
Pretty sure that is a Storm, but it's just Verizon being Verizon. I wouldn't read into it too much :)
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:40 pm
The brochure itself was probably done months ago when VZW still planned the release OS6 for the Storm2, but we all know that it is no longer the case. On the other hand it is possible that with the Storm3 being canceled, they may have changed their minds; but I doubt it given that all of the other OS6 info has mentored the Bold and Curve only.
Deathcommand Dec 22, 2010 at 11:27 am
All of the pictures in the first picture are either Torch, Style. Or the Storm. hahaha.
Joneser2006 Dec 22, 2010 at 11:37 am
Wake me up when something exciting drops.
L_Boogie820 Dec 22, 2010 at 11:44 am
I'm using .333 for my 9650 and I need the official release. Still lags. Several battery pulls. Fortunately enough, I had switched to Droid for 2 weeks before coming back. I'm pretty loyal to Verizon and my BB but geez, I need a slightly better OS!
reverepats Dec 22, 2010 at 11:44 am
how in gods name is anyone even excited about OS6 anymore.....the hype is gone. everyone knows about OS6 and yes it is a decent improvement over OS5. But the official isnt gonna be any different from the leak. At least for me and im sure a few others........the hype is dead......
always_On_point Dec 22, 2010 at 11:53 am
I certainly agree with you; the hype is really dead. I downgraded the latest OS6 leak to OS 5 on my bold 9650.. Couldn't take the lagging and booting on its own after taking a picture lol Knowing that sprint isn't the first at anything.. My hope is really dead lol
Adam Zeis Dec 22, 2010 at 11:56 am
Sprint was first with the 9650 :-)
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Who cares!?! You know as well as I do that you can run Sprint builds on VZW and they work just fine.
ChaplainBill Dec 22, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I wonder if the OS6 will ever be available for the Tour 9630?
aab81901 Dec 22, 2010 at 1:15 pm
It says you'll need a device with 256 MB of free/available memory. So I don't think so.
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:44 pm
In a word.. NO. It's not compatible with the Tour. Not enough memory.
gcheel#cb Dec 22, 2010 at 12:22 pm
What a snooze fest, wake me when something exciting happens. I question my loyalty to BB each and every day.
"Here's a new OS, but you won't be able to have until a year from now, maybe more, ahh heck, who knows when you can have it."
"Hot off the press, brand new BB tablet! Oh but wait, we aren't announcing its release or price, but it's really cool though right? It'll be released just in time to be outdated by the competition."
If you can't tell I'm growing more and more disenchanted with BB and their antics.
crush29830 Dec 22, 2010 at 1:41 pm
I agree, I have been a diehard BB supporter, but it's getting harder to make the argument. I still have faith that they are going to surprise us all and step it up in 2011. If not when my Storm2 dies I don't think I'll replace it with another BB.
"tap, tap RIM DO YOU READ THESE FORUMS?!?! ITS YOUR CUSTOMERS TALKING!!!!!
screamndigit Dec 22, 2010 at 1:54 pm
it half sucks that it takes RIM so long to put out these releases on hardware that is half as powerful as the rest of other "new" devices - and then the full suck is when the carrier lags along behind them making the releases take twice as long to get out the door and onto a phone.
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:52 pm
That's why RIM needs to take control of the OS update process. Either push them out directly or at least make the files available more easily (ie a centralized area on the site where you can get the most recent solid build for any BB by model that works on any carrier). The carriers would just have to deal with it or loose the massive enterprise customer base using BB's. Some will point out that RIM is loosing market share here, and that is true to an extent, but most of what RIM is loosing are consumers not enterprise. Additionally, faster software updates will likely slow the customer churn because we all know RIM puts out new builds every few days internally, and if even a fraction of these were made publicly available it would show people that RIM cares about their customers and squashing bugs. It's the carriers that are the roadblocks.
experiment 626 Dec 22, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I certainly understand everyone's disappointment but thing's aren't all peaches & cream over on Android either as Motorola just added to the OS update confusion.
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Motorola, and Samsung, and HTC....
joshua.worth Dec 22, 2010 at 3:34 pm
I noticed a specific OS package version in the pics and a bundle number but can't read it cause I'm on the mobile site and don't have time at the moment. Looks like an old version I hope VZW doesn't slap yall in the face with an old OS 6 6.0.0.21
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:54 pm
These brochures and support docs are always done months ahead and the screen grabs almost never show the actual OS build released... don't worry. :-)
RadioDude Dec 22, 2010 at 4:16 pm
By the time this upgrade comes out,everyone else will have OS 7???
firepsych Dec 22, 2010 at 4:36 pm
Went to my local used car dealership, ooops I mean VZW retail store. Hard to tell the difference sometimes. I asked for "one of those OS 6 brochures I've been hearing about". The Walmart greeter at the door didn't know what I was talking about so he asked an automaton at the desk. He said, "we don't do Blackberry software upgrades here. RIM pushes that stuff out. He'll have to wait until he's prompted to update over the air.". So its official, because a VZW rep said it, VzW has nothing to do with it. Its all RIM's fault :-). If ignorance is blis, I met one of the happiest guys around.
mustangboy88 Dec 22, 2010 at 6:24 pm
OMG...I CAN'T WAIT TO KEEP WAITING!!!
gord888 Dec 22, 2010 at 7:20 pm
You should do some research on the samsung android 2.2 upgrades for the galaxy s. Apparently it is causing the internal sd cards to fry, thereby rendering the phone useless. And samsung isn't much faster than rim for releasing firmware updates. So, you should consider that a slightly longer wait will at the very least ensure that you won't brick your bb when you upgrade.
BiG BaLLA 923 Dec 22, 2010 at 9:04 pm
oh my god!! that sucks, I don't know anything about android but that really blows. it really does kill your phone? I heard so much buzz over 2.2 too wow, good thing I don't follow android...
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 1:59 pm
This appears to be a problem unique to Samsung, but yes in rare cases an OS can actually brick the phone beyond the ability to repair.
Bazza1 Dec 22, 2010 at 9:40 pm
256 MB Application Memory free? Well, that means my lowly 8520 w/ 11 installed programs (and a mere 95 MB available) won't be able to handle the 'upgrade'
Mind you, I doubt whether (based on the move from OS4 to 5) I'd find the experience any more satisfying, as my device struggles to keep up now.
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 2:03 pm
This isn't mews. Only the 9700, 9650, and Curve 3G (9300 I think) are compatible with BB6. Additionally I suspect that the 9700 will be like the 8330 was with OS 5, barely compatible and only one or two carriers actually doing an official release of it.
darylschneider Dec 22, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Not only is it way late to be releasing it but we already have a leaked version which is newer than the planned official release. Pics show .317 and we are using .33 Verizon is lame again !!! Why even bother?
YourMobileGuru Dec 23, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Take a deep breath and scroll up and read my comment .... screen caps mean nothing in these brochures they are always done before the official release is done and if you look closely the pics show a Storm which we know wont be getting the upgrade at all.
mssca Dec 23, 2010 at 3:48 pm
That's it... This will be my LAST Blackberry carp I will have..... I had enough of waiting for ANY OFFICIAL news on delays related to OS6 for 9700. I am buying an iPhone in 2012 (I am on a three year contract) and NEVER EVER going to come back to Blackberry even if they are the last cell phone device maker in the world.
I am going to tell all my Blackberry loser friends to switch to an Android or iPhone. RIM should have the obligation to inform their customer base what's going on with their OS6 with respect to each device. OR THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST NOT RELEASE AN OS6 FOR OLDER DEVICES. This way people like me would have brought an iPhone instead of buying a 9700 based on the RIMs official news that I will get OS6 soon. Besides, it won't give their company operating procedures and I don't believe if they say that they hide that info because it is sensitive.
I can't wait to end my contract and get my hands on new iPhone 5 or may be well built iPhone 6 and who knows what great developments Apple has. Also, European Union MPs already use iPhone and dumped their Blackberry crap.
HTC_Droid_EvO Dec 23, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Exactly dude RIM blows chunks...waiting around for this lame upgrade, and a book 6 months too late.