Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
rgray
Contributor - Level 1
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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
rgray
Contributor - Level 1

What if we all started calling the VZW help desk and ask when the PRIV will receive MM or at least security updates? Another option is to start opening chat sessions with support. I've had some interesting conversations with support on the phone. One tech told me that I didn't need security updates on the Verizon network. The network would keep my phone safe. Dumbest thing I've ever heard.

Of course vzw_customer_support​ will never respond to this thread with updates. verizonmoderator2​ doesn't seem to care either.

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
pherson
Champion - Level 1

Considering Blackberry is no longer in the phone business you can expect it to be more widespread now.....

End of an era: BlackBerry will stop making its own phones - Sep. 28, 2016

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
DroidudeAZ
Contributor - Level 2

They are still in business, they're just exiting the hardware business but still developing software and will seek a hardware partner for future phones (much like Google does with the Nexus and now Pixel lines). The Dtek 50 and 60 that they are selling are revamped Alcatel phones with Blackberry software etc.

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
pherson
Champion - Level 1

I highly doubt it will happen. Just like Palm and HP didn't make it. It's inevitable.

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
ggendel
Contributor - Level 1

There were several factors that caused the demise of the Palm/HP phones.  Palm did not have the capital reserves needed to do the proper promotion.  The phones consistently won awards for novel features, still being copied today.  When HP bought Palm, it looked like their bad days were behind them.  However, Verizon systematically steered customers that wanted the Pre Plus to an Android phone.  They would badmouth both the Pre and the iPhone (which wasn't available on Verizon yet) at the same time that the technical press claimed it as the top smart phone.  Verizon then made a deal with HP for the Pre 3, but then canceled the order the week before it was to ship.  One month later the CEO, Leo Apotheker, killed HPs phone and tablet business and wanted to shut down the PC division.  Leo has the distinct reputation of being the worst CEO of HP, even worse than Carly Forina for this decision.

So, the decision to kill the Pre phone was a combination of the stupidity of a CEO that had no place running a company like HP and Verizon's help by refusing to partner with HP/Palm.

http://www.intomobile.com/2011/08/18/memoriam-life-and-death-webos/

It's interesting to note that the Palm/HP designers were immediately scarfed up by Apple, Google, LG, and others.  I don't know of a WebOS designer that didn't have a new position within a month of the shutdown.  In fact, the Nougat project was driven by one of the WebOS principal designers.  LG released a WebOS TV that has won top awards for usability for 4 years in a row.

Saying that the death of Blackberry is inevitable is disingenuous as BB has a lot more cash reserves than Palm ever had and their software thrust has turned around the negative cash flow.  They are not out of the phone business, but are outsourcing design and manufacturing.  A BB phone with a PKB is expected next year (pictures are already leaking).

It is sad that Verizon wields enough power to make or break a phone (except in the rare case with the iPhone). This limits choices and allows inferior products to flourish while stifling new and novel devices.  Even today, an unlocked BYOD will likely have features disabled when you plug in a Verizon sim.  Whether you think that one device is better than another is a subjective choice that the market should decide, not the carrier.

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
Sonic12040
Enthusiast - Level 2

It has been unfortunate (and rather disheartening) that Verizon's support for the BlackBerry Priv is lacking in transparency and timeliness. My family has recently updated our plan to the New Verizon plan giving up unlimited data on two accounts because we weren't really taking advantage of the usage. When April hits and all the phones are off contract, I will probably pay off the remaining balance on my Priv and move to a carrier that is going to provide end-to-end support for my device to the duration of the manufacturer.

Testing a device for stability on the network is important, but as important is to have that software tested and vetted in a timely fashion, released to market, and any errors reported easily. I also wasn't impressed that when I initially purchased the Priv, the associates in the store did not even know they carried the phone.

I didn't file an FTC complaint over the lack of Marshmallow, because I was unaware of that particular promise to update, but I did expect to receive the security updates, and that has been unacceptable.

Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
ggendel
Contributor - Level 1

Nicely said.  The blackberry phones are security certified for government use.  Part of that certification requires that vulnerabilities are rapidly patched.

An FTC complaint would have to take a position of unfair business practices.  I did make that case to the FTC and my state's Attorney General.  I documented how some vendors like Apple are given preferential treatment, while others like Blackberry are not given the same benefits.  When a carrier shows preferential treatment to the extent that Verizon has the consumer suffers by allowing phones to be compromised.  This exposes an individual to loss of personal information and possible monetary loss.  In addition the information lost can be used for social engineering to perform attacks, such as phishing to the owner and their contacts.  In addition the compromise could use the phone to create a bot to perform attacks on our critical infrastructures.

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
Monicka
Newbie

How is Verizon going to address this issue? This isn't something that business users can just choose to avoid, we are a government entity that has security auditors to answer to. The ONLY reason we have stuck with BB's is because they are deemed to be more security conscious.  For Verizon to not only refrain from releasing this update, but to ignore and not provide reasonable answers to their customers is inexcusable.

Ghost Push possesses Android devices; only version 6.0 is safe

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Re: When will BB Priv get Marshmallow????????
pherson
Champion - Level 1

I don't understand. If you have someone to answer to, why not simply get another phone? Surely you can't blame Verizon if you lose your job.

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