Blackberry OS 4.7.1 basically the same as OS 5.0?

Posted at 3:38 pm April 6, 2009 by

bb50

Mark me as unimpressed.  I don’t know, maybe I just had too high of hopes for RIM’s venture into the 5.0 spectrum of operating system numbers.  According to Crackberry, the current 4.7.1 OS that is floating around on the Verizon bound 9630 (Verizon’s Bold) is more or less what OS 5.0 will look like.  How do I/they know?  Well they happened to snag some video footage of an 8900 Curve running OS 5.0.  As mentioned before – I’m not impressed at all.  The Blackberry OS arena is quickly getting filled with some devices still running 4.1 all the way up to the most current *public* OS 4.7.  However, in reality, OS 4.7.1 (and even 4.6) will eventually be rebranded to 5.0 on the Bold (9000) and 8900 devices according to CB.  Now I don’t understand this.  Why would you go from 4.6/4.7 all the way up to 5.0 when all that is added in 5.0 beta running around at Crackberry is a new startup splash screen (Black screen with BB logo), some changes to Blackberry Messenger, and some other mundane minor tweaks?

 

“Hey guys, we just added a cool new icon to the music player app….lets bump it up a number”.  I swear that is what is going through the RIM developers’ heads.  Don’t get me wrong, I love RIM and Blackberries and want to come back to the Crack some day, but see the sparkle of OS 5.0 and any appearance of ground breaking features quickly losing there luster.  I guess it can be compared to people thinking the year 2000 would bring flying cars to the masses.  I thought myself that OS 5.0 would truly bring a revolutionary change both physically (aesthetically speaking), as well as more or less a complete overhaul of the Blackberry OS.  However, based on RIM’s current numbering schemes, such a change would prompt a jump from OS 5.0 to 27.2 if I am to follow their examples.  (Ok maybe 27.3 was a tad high….OS 22.1).  

 

What do all of you think?  Is RIM getting too concerned over OS numbers and appearing as if there are big changes under the hood and slacking on the actual sustenance of the OS?  Or, is RIM having a hard time keeping up with the explosive growth (mainly in the consumer market) of their products and are having a hard time catering to that consumer market quick enough?  I want to hear what you’re thinking.  Spill your beans folks!  

 

Source: Crackberry

   
  • Darryl

    That is such a general and inaccurate assumption. My Bold came factory with 4.7, and recently I installed the upgrade for 5.0, and although has a similar looking theme, there are many subtle difference in the appearence which adds to user functionality. (Small example is when you select dates or times such as in the calender or alarm clock).

    I have many many programs installed, most of which are small helpful applications that require being in memory at all times, similar to the Blackbery Messanger program. I was noticing a small lag after so long due to the load, and regularly power cycled the phone to keep it as fast as possible. After the upgrade, there was an immediate and drastic increase in the response time in the device, which I wasn’t even expecting. This increased preformance is noticed throughtout most other areas, most noticably the GPS, which on my version 4.7 was sketchy at best, and would spend more time waiting for a satelite lock than anything. This was consitant over the last 4 Blackberry’s which contained GPS. OS 5.0 locks everytime and quickly.

    By your logic, Windows Vista and Windows 7 look almost identical, however as operating systems go, one is literally the complete and extreme opposite of each other.