The Blackberry KEYone is the latest release from BlackBerry, a company that many had already written out of the current smartphone industry. However, the company managed to prove that it is still able to develop business oriented handsets that can work on the Android platform. With the KEYone, BlackBerry also merged features, such as the fingerprint sensor and touch screen beautifully in an interface which also includes the company's iconic QWERTY keypad. Now, Sprint has announced that it is rolling out a new update for the KEYone devices on its network.
What is the update about?
Sprint is the only major carrier in the United States that offers the locked version of the latest BlackBerry device. Verizon users can buy the unlocked CDMA model of the handset, while AT&T and T-Mobile users have to buy the unlocked GSM variant. On Wednesday, August 23, Sprint announced the release of the update for the phone with build number AAN982.
The update will bring the August Android Security Patch to the handset, which is essential to keep the phone completely secure and protected from external vulnerabilities. Apart from the security patch, the update could also resolve the issue that users of the device on Sprint's network were facing regarding the Sprint Mobile ID app.
This problem was reported to the carrier and Sprint had said that it would jointly work with BlackBerry and find a solution to the issue.
Users reported that using the Sprint model of the handset meant that many apps related to the carrier were getting installed into the system by default. Users were unable to uninstall this bloatware or disable them permanently.
The Sprint Mobile ID app would automatically restore any of this bloatware that the user tried to remove from the phone. For instance, some of the apps like Facebook Messenger, Amazon, Audible, Instagram, and Lookout, if removed by the user from the phone will automatically be reinstalled.
However, not all of the users of Sprint's BlackBerry KEYone reported facing similar issues.
This led some to conclude that this was an error of some kind and not an intentional feature that Sprint had introduced. With the latest update, this issue may get fixed for those who have been facing the problem.
How to install the update?
Before downloading the update, ensure that the handset has more than 50 percent of its battery left and is connected to a strong Wi-Fi or Cellular Data network. Tap the Launcher icon on the home screen of the device and proceed to select Updates. Open the Updates section and then manually check for the new build and select it. The update will then be downloaded and installed.
