We’re testing it at the moment. See http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1499

Incidentally, we’re aware that Nokia’s Software Updater isn’t recognising some N95s as being eligible for updates – see http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1256

My N95 8GB is unlocked for any SIM, nice that. But unfortunately the NSU tells me there’s no new update available.

V20 was released today.

Whatleydude’s last blog post..Less than 24hrs in San Francisco

That said, I’ll agree that network lock in is a bad thing – but so is manufacturer lock in. However, on all phone which support it, the VF UI is applied as a theme*. You can switch the VF UI with any one that pleases you – the manufacturer’s, a competitors, hell, we’ll even sell you a different one

If you want a good overview off all the possible UIs and how the VF one fits in, take a look at
http://help.vodafone.co.uk/DeviceHelp.php?e=0
Choose a device and click “Animated quickstart” – you can see how the VF UI looks and works compared to the stock firmware.

Incidentally, why I think most “normobs” don’t dislike branding (too much) is
1) That petition has got 96 signatures.
2) In most fora that I frequent, it’s only the extremely image conscious or supergeeks (like myself) who want to change such things.
3) The dirth of posts on the subject at http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/

For the records, I change the theme on all the phones I get – then I design my own.

T (speaking for myself, not my employer)
*AFAIK
PS Don’t Google for “remove vodafone branding”

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=remove+orange+homescreen
Results 1 – 10 of about 27,500 for remove orange homescreen. (0.22 seconds)

There’s even a online petition about it! Which I should sign, I suppose

If Vodafone scrambling the menus doesn’t make matters worse for the average phone user, I’m sure it didn’t do much to make matters better either. Consistency is a key factor in usability, as you’re apparently aware… I’m not convinced that a network can achieve sufficient consistency of UI across devices from different manufacturers to justify breaking the consistency of the manufacturer UI of a single device on different networks.

You can’t give me network lock-in as a *good* reason for doing something, not from the customer’s point of view. Lock-in is specifically there to prevent the customer from being able to take the best deal available to them in an open market… it’s not a plus point. Unless you’re working for the network of course.

They’re not. Or, rather, “normobs” are not.

I’ll readily agree that there are several UI horrors from operators – and I include Voda in that.

Operator branded UIs came about for two main reasons

1) Get rid of the crappy manufacturer ones

2) Drive Operator loyalty rather than manufacturer loyalty. Y’see, Operators noticed that people wanted an upgrade which had a familiar UI. So, they had a Nokia and they would be perfectly happy with a Nokia supplied by any other network. Why stay with T-Mobile when Orange had the phone with the right UI for you? So, get people hooked on your specific UI and they’ll happily pick up a Nokia, Sagem, Moto *from* *your* *store*!

Incidentally, what is it that you – or any one else – don’t like about the Vodafone UI? In most phones it is simply a change in icons and a change in the order of certain menus. No functionality is removed*

Terence
*Except for the VoIP debacle.

When a network like Vodafone receives a phone it goes through a rigorous quality test. This tests (broadly speaking)
1) That the phone’s radio works properly and doesn’t kill the network and that the SAR tests are safe.
2) That the UI works (people complain about the branded UIs that operators sometimes use. Trust me, they’re often a lot better than some of the vanilla UIs which have obviously been designed by a blind and exploited Vietnamese child)
3) Other quality issues (does it send SMS properly, does the browser work, do ringtones work, etc)

It’s time consuming but, ultimately, worth it.

When a handset manufacturer releases a new software version, the software has to be tested again. That’s why it takes some time from manufacturer release to network release. If it’s a small bug fix – not only does that bug have to be checked, but the rest of the software has to be checked to make sure nothing else has broken.

I imagine Apple has struck a deal saying that they won’t alter the software that controls the radio and that they will do a full QA on any new software drops.

The other side is that the iPhone has sold eleventy-billion handsets – the Nokia N84 has sold five. Is it economical to fix the bugs in the N84 and then have every network test it for the handful of people using it?

Of course – it would help if all manufacturers opened the source of the their handsets (less the radio interface) so that old handsets could be fixed… but that would probably destroy their future revenue stream.

So, in conclusion, Apple has huge economies of scale – 1 platform, millions sold – which means it’s worth their while investing in new features and bug fixes.

(It’s been several years since I’ve worked on the firmware side, my views don’t represent my employer’s)

Granted, you then need to hunt around for the apps you want, but overall the experience is easier than Nokia PC Suite IMHO.

I Agree the iPhone doesn’t have the ability to receive an SMS with a link that kicks off an install. But I’m sure that cannot be far off, given the ease of the WiFi iTunes store. Betcha it will be EXACTLY the same experience. Then Apple will see the ca

One ‘test’ for Nokia Tube will be if they’re willing to stand up to the big networks and insist that *Nokia* will control OS updates and the bundle of default applications on phones. If the networks don’t want users to have a native voip client, for instance, then they’ll have to explain why it doesn’t work to their customers.

I rate the Nokia Tube’s chances at taking on the iPhone as less than 10% but it’ll doubtless sell 10x as many!

HeavyLight’s last blog post..Whatleydude’s N95 saga: VF comes out shining!

http://www.evenmumcandothis.com A site dedicated to technology that even your mum can use!

@PhoneBoy: Agreed. iTunes is too complicated at times. However, the iPhone Wifi Music Store is astonishing simple and perhaps the slickest iPhone app to date.

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You say that it’s not easy to install an app on S60, and I don’t refute that. However, you then go on to point out how easy it is on the iPhone, AFTER you’ve unlocked/jailbroken the thing. I had first hand experience (as do you, if I recall) on how “easy” it is to unlock/jailbreak an iPhone, and I would say that puts things about even.

Also, you say that Apple listens directly to users, while Nokia doesn’t. I’ve heard people asking Apple for the iPhone to get MMS, voice dialling, A2DP, and other common features, to a deaf ear. Meanwhile, users have long awaited being able to watch YouTube videos directly in the browser of their N95, and Nokia obliged (well, except for us damned N95-3 owners). The sped-up camera is also something N95 owners have requested, and received. Personally, out of all the mobile handset manufacturers, I would easily argue that Nokia listens to consumers the best.

That’s not to say I don’t agree that updating a Nokia handset is a painful experience. It is.

Also, in regards to the whole ’signed’ thing for Nokia applications, that’s a big, deep issue, and is kinda weird. Developers were never really supposed to release their apps unsigned, but have been forced to because of the SymbianSigned program, and, well, it’s messy.

I don’t intend to be an all-out cheerleader, and will be the first to tell you that Apple is a welcome addition to the mobile industry, as they’re clearly pushing others to innovate. However, let’s keep things honest and balanced.

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