Firmware Updates Officially stopped for P990, W950 and M60028 June 2007 by axxxr
"These firmware releases meet the requirements of bug fixes prioritized by our operator customers and the Customer Services organization within different markets. The decision to freeze the P990, W950 and M600 firmware versions at this point has been made based on meeting these requirements. As with any phone project, no product is ever completely flawless. Any remaining issues are of course unfortunate, but we feel that with the level of quality on the latest P990 firmware we now have a good, solid product." Due to all heavy features in P990, the need for RAM memory has grown. When running multiple memory-consuming programs at the same time, the available RAM memory runs low and sometimes results in the memory manager closing down one of the applications. We have been working on improving memory management during the whole lifecycle of the P990. The low RAM memory situation for the P990 will unfortunately remain for the heaviest users, and would not be fixed by a new firmware update since it’s hardware related. Multi-tasking on the P990 however works satisfactory provided that you don’t run too large and memory-consuming programs at the same time. Performance improvements have indeed been made for the new P1 phone compared to P990 and the user RAM available for applications has been increased with >400%, significantly improving multi-tasking performance and application behavior so that you can run a lot heavier programs simultaneously. Many users are comparing the P990 with the stable and relatively problem-free predecessor P910, which was an excellent smartphone. The P910 was based on an earlier Symbian OS and UIQ platform version with only an incremental software development update from the P900 (Symbian OS 7.0, UIQ 2.1), which made the development work a lot smoother at the time. With the P990, the Symbian OS capabilities have however expanded quite significantly and as with any major platform update, this was expected to introduce some new issues to solve. Sony Ericsson however underestimated the complexity of the development work for UIQ 3 and it took longer than expected to implement and quality assure things like the platform security mechanisms, the multimedia framework and other advanced connectivity aspects like 3G, videotelephony and WiFi. It has been a tough journey for all of us. Please extend my thanks and appreciation to the user and developer communities for all their patience, support and feedback which has helped us identify bugs and improve both existing and upcoming products.” source:allaboutsymbian 
 RSS feed  User comments:
This article is closed for new comments. |
typical SE...absolute disregard for customers needs and confirms my departure from them, as good as my p990i is at times, it has let me down on several occasions, crashing whilst filming video etc, its simply unnacceptable for a Flagship manufacturer to say 'no product is ever completely flawless. Any remaining issues are of course unfortunate" Were talking about a £400 handset here!!!
what a joke....even microsoft wouldnt leave a product in such commercial state.
vincebio on Jun 28 2007
as using (sony-)ericsson phones for more than 10 years now (incl. p910i and p990i) and always beeing a big fan and supporter of se, i am more than just angry about se. i will never again feel sure, if i buy a se phone and for sure i will never ever again chang to one of their new phones, when they are released (as i always did) - others can be the beta testers.
i a also angry with me, that i bought a new se mobile for my wife some weeks ago (i always buy her phones and they always were se phones). yesterday i bought a new phone for my father in law - it was a nokia...
i still would prefer to stay a se customer, but after this unacceptable step of se, i do not feel confident with them and for sure i will not get the p1. it is not just the cost of the p990i when i bought it at it's launch, it is also all the software and additional hardware (which makes some hundred euros more).
se, your behavior is very, very poor and i will not forget about it, unless you change your mind and decide to support the uiq3-phones for at last one more year.
badbandit on Jun 28 2007
stop all this se is still better... it's business..
hehe on Jun 28 2007
darn you se! u cheated my hard-erned money for something i dont deserve!
jakontil on Jun 28 2007
and there it ends ... the loyality from customers toward ericsson
no happy customers no more phone sales no sales no company
bye ericsson
hi nokia brick
himlimsnl on Jun 28 2007
This is unnacceptable, what a poor company!
Jhon on Jun 28 2007
This is simply unacceptable. Although I got my P990 after the beta testers as a cheaper and more stable product (after fw R5A17), there is still some work which needs to be done to bring it to it's full potential. To sat "remaining issues are unfortunate" is arrogant and irresponsible. The spacebar-to-phone bug in Flip Open mode is inexcusable especially as it was not an issue in R5A17! Come on SE, we have been loyal supporters from the Ericsson days. Do the right thing!
Class action lawsuit anyone?
Geezay on Jun 28 2007
Guys take it easy please.
SE have fix al those bugs for the P990i but is the hardware that prevent the develop.
They still develop software for the P990i so don't worry about it it's only the firmware it's not so bad as you think realy.
I have the P990i and i love it its fine product. buy it yesterday and i know that already when i buy the P990i and i'm not disapoint in SE i worship SE becouse they have every work with the P990i until the hardware is limit.
SE never let you down nobody. I buy the P3 when it come's
Dear people's dont worry have fait in SE.
Willem on Jun 28 2007
SE is good but sometimes proyect finishes when the product has the top support and the hardware dont support for more updates but the P1, W960 will be the best in RAM and ROM memory and will be best, i have more bad experience with nokia they dont have this features, and updates and good reception have to been done with the operators and sonyericsson you can do it by yourself recepcion improve in settings, comunication data prefferded service gprs- gsm or pc-cs and in mobile networks 3g and gsm networks select 3g gsm networks i try it and is very good
Miller on Jun 28 2007
The bottom line is, the p990 is a rip off, took too long to come out, sony ericsson have spent too much time developing fw to try to patch up their late release-early announcement rubbish, and now they just cant be bothered spending anymore time on developing fw's. to p990 owners: i know it hurts, p990 has the potential to be much more, and the stupid space bar bug is just plain f@#ked, but we can either stick with this unfinsihesd project, or move on P1 and W960 are coming out, and they seem pretty promising (so did the P990 apparently), lets hope SE have learnt their lesson. Im moving on, swapping for the P1 as soon as it comes out, cant wait for the W960 coz P990 is just annoying
mobilemodman on Jun 28 2007
Special devices like some specialist phones or computers store that software ("firmware") in a ROM(read only memory) within the device itself and sonyericsson manufactures like sonyericsson update sofware and firmware to improve phones and to reapair some damages that we make when we conect or disconect wrong with pc or some defects of manufacture many companies like microsoft update our computers and correct all our sofware. Whowever nokia, motorola dont have this service perfect all mobile phones that i have probe have problems with sofware and have reception problems but i think that the SE phones cuality is equal like other companies but this have better disigns and better improvements and you can do what miller said. SE w600 is the worst phone in errors but is becouse it was the fist RAMROM mobile phone and have problems comunicating these meamory and that makes the phone get stuck and it turns off many times whoever this is out of the market and the nokia N73 have problems reading the memory and in the camera when i take a picture it dont save and i have to change with the garanty and all the motorola have the same v3 disign and are the worst in reception I have to change my n73 and these copanies are the best in mobile imagine if we probe others
JonatanA on Jun 28 2007
SE please dont let us down..
globe on Jun 28 2007
SE....R.I.P.
n95 on Jun 28 2007
solution to troubles:
release the sourcecode of symbian uiq under gpl licens (or some kind)
that way 3th party ppl can improve and release new features/hack to the software
himlimsnl on Jun 28 2007
Skip past this comment if you're easily offended ... it's not my intention to annoy but ...
While I sympathise with everyone who bought the P990, the evidence was clearly there for anyone to interpret:
o) Phone announced in October 2005 due to ship Q1 2006
o) February 2006, SE announce a delay until Q2
o) June comes and goes and still no P990
o) October 2006 arrives and the phone is finally available
o) Phone originally announced with 80Mb* RAM, actually ships with
64Mb
o) Some applications announced for the phone are missing
o) Early reviews clearly revealed the phone was slow and didn't
have enough memory
o) Hardware was a year out of date
If you needed more evidence of Sony Ericsson abandoning their loyal users, what about the P900? The hardware was capable of reading MS Pro Duo cards however the firmware was "crippled" to only use MS Duos, meaning people were stuck at 128Mb.
It would have been excellent if they'd produced one last update to allow MS Pro Duos, but their response was "Go buy the P910"
Yup, I agree it's very bad treatment for loyal owners of the P990, especially for a product that has been on the market for only 9 months but your faith in this company has been misplaced.
Unfortunately this is increasingly common for technology products, manufacturers are under pressure to get the product to market even if they are not ready. Sadly more companies ship the product and then spend time trying to fix it later.
I'm not saying it's right but this is a sad fact of life.
If you're not prepared to cough up a lot of money for a potentially problematic device, then don't be an early adopter.
*http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=global&lc=en&ver=4001&template=pc3_1_1&zone=pc&lm=pc3_1&prid=3982
P900user on Jun 28 2007
To be honest I've not had a huge problem with my p990i. I bought it about two weeks ahead of UK release. I knew the first firmware would be very buggy and the big issues were quickly resolved. The phone clearly need re-booting every few days, but other wise works fine and has done for the last year. Beats the daylights out of some previous phones I've bough which have had known and predictable failures 6 months in. Anyone remeber the space invaders bug on the 8210.
Flagship phones going back into history including the p990, p900, p800, t68, t39, n95, 7110 (I know the nokia range less well) are always buggy on release and sometimes never improve. Do not buy flagship phones if you want reliability. They get there in the end, but they always get released to early.
Ad on Jun 29 2007
one is outraged by this.. bloody mo-fo's! oh well, when's the P1 coming out? Went to sony shop, and the useless jav told me it'll be another 5-6months or something like that, i didnt even wait for him to finish the sentence. Bloody ridiculous... "...but we feel that with the level of quality on the latest P990 firmware we now have a good, solid product." hahahahahahahahaha
menACE on Jun 29 2007
A lot of issues still exist on the p990, memory still leak, memory still don't get freed up after tasks properly, multitasking app still don't work prop... Camera autofocus still have flaws.... There A LOT of isuses still to be solved.
When buying a "flagship" product - better - or ever excellent support should be expected. It's not like one of those give-away-for-free kind og phones...
But - I guess shares, money, greede - sometimes called "business" is catching up.
It IS costly to produce "flagship" products - but it's also these products that helps the company position in the marked - to show off what they can do.
I think it is as wrong as it can be from SE to "abandon" the ship like that... I would understand if they did it for one of those give-away-for-free phones, but not this one.
At the same time, it is also important for SE to "go with the flow" in the business - to keep up with the rest of the gang... Nokia is launching new phones more or less weekly, samsung, motorola, - and now also the fruit company with the iPhone..
SE: Dedicate some of your skilled programmers to feed this dying horse. Help it die with dignety. Make sure it gets the best possible care. It IS products like that what helped SE become the company it is today.
For all you thinking about the new phones,... think not only once, twice or three times... If SE can do this to the P990, the very same WILL be done with the next phone lineups as well...
{ AD }
ArthurDent on Jun 29 2007
sonyericsson new models are the best i bught the w880 and are good than my N73, i will buy the new w960 or the p1 are the best in all than others sonyericsson is getting perfect during the time
elis on Jun 29 2007
But - it does not make *any* sence in buying a brand new phone, since they does not work until at least one generation later, and on top of that the price tag is way off the limit - compared to what the phone will cost by the time it start "working".
Artur on Jun 29 2007
Shouldn't SE be taken to court for abandoning an unfinished product? It's like they're saying, "hey, that's all that we can do so shut up."
I'm disappointed that SE would do such a thing. I'm due for a phone upgrade and I'm actually considering getting a P990 but only because I can get it for US$26.
Ashlars on Jun 29 2007
SE. how can you call it a day when the most basic feature for making calls does not function (thank you very much for introducing the spacebar bug in the final 'complete' firmware). That's responsible? Go figure.
mode on Jun 29 2007
I have read many post on many, many different sites. It was suggested that SE be sued. I believe if we all stand together we will be heard.
just some info from WIKI
Class Actions
Class actions occur when judges approve a petition to roll many similar, and often small, monetary claims into one legal action. This type of suit is often brought against a defendant, usually a large corporation, that cheated a multitude of consumers. It is also brought when systematic patterns of abuse or discrimination may exist at a company.
Combining efforts saves courts the costs and inconvenience of hearing thousands of small cases one at a time. Further, if the plaintiff wins, the defendant's pattern of illicit behavior is exposed and any wrongly-obtained money is taken away. Strong penalties are meant to deter other defendants from the same behavior and stop any ongoing abuses.
I am no lawyer, but if someone out the is, maybe they can give all of us some advise.
Doopsy on Jun 29 2007
It was mentioned on various threads that SE be sued, I couldn't agree more. For the past year they have been trying to deliver a product they promised, and up until now is still faulty, and quiet franckly drives people a bit nutty!! We the consumers paid hard earned money which they accepted, I believe we should get what we paid for.
Here is some info i got from Wiki
Class Actions
Class actions occur when judges approve a petition to roll many similar, and often small, monetary claims into one legal action. This type of suit is often brought against a defendant, usually a large corporation, that cheated a multitude of consumers. It is also brought when systematic patterns of abuse or discrimination may exist at a company.
Combining efforts saves courts the costs and inconvenience of hearing thousands of small cases one at a time. Further, if the plaintiff wins, the defendant's pattern of illicit behavior is exposed and any wrongly-obtained money is taken away. Strong penalties are meant to deter other defendants from the same behavior and stop any ongoing abuses.
I am no lawyer but if there is someone out there who is clued up with such matters, or knows someone, maybe they are willing to steer us in the right direction. Together we will be heard!!
Doopsy on Jun 29 2007
nokia are still doing software updates to the n80 and they dont even make the phone any more.
MJB on Jun 29 2007
'We feel we have a solid product'
Notice the word 'we' not 'the customers' !!!
Who the hell are we??
It seems SE are not having a clear picture on how bad this phone is. And HOW F**KING BUGGY IT IS. Least it can do is to make another 'sub' fw to R6D23, call it R6D24 for example, to fix the spacebar phone shortcut.
I mean...it sounds absurd having the icon of a 'phone' on the button itself and ITS NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF A FRIGGIN BUG INTRODUCED BY SE.
If they think we are turning face on their new phone, then maybe they can buy their own, buggy product - once again.
Since what happened to us, P990/M600/W950 users, may as well shine again for the P1/W960 upcomming phones.
Am sure quitting SE for good after being a loyal customer for more than 5 *happy* years - not counting this one.
Regret to say it, but yes, Nokia is much better in doing business, AND in building relatively problem-free phones.
'Nothing is completely flawless'....my a*s, at least make sure it functions properly, in terms of basic functionalities!!!!
ahmedsama on Jun 29 2007
Ive got a good old M600i. Even the last update that was supplied is NOT bug FREE!
At the end of the day, they have a job to keep their products up & running. We all have a strong cash under the Consumers Rights Act.
I think we should use IT!!!
bip78 on Jun 29 2007
I think the key words here are "whole lifecycle of the P990" this indicates it has been discontinued
yabadabado on Jun 29 2007
I want my money back!
That was the last phone I bought from S**t Ericsson.
I will send the phone to service center telling them what doesn't work, they'll give me another phone, then I'll repeat the procedure, and after 3 times I'll get my money back.
They did the worse s**t ever.
So long SE :p
bogdan1978buc on Jun 29 2007
SPOKE TO SE TODAY29/6 AND WAS TOLD OF A FIRMWARE UPDATE R8 TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR OR IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS ,CHECK ESATO THOSE GUYS KNOW BEFORE US !
ZORG on Jun 29 2007
R8??
Now thats new..
ahmedsama on Jun 29 2007
This is a disgusting move by SE, it almost makes them as bad as Microsoft by forcing you to upgrade for support. I am by no means a power user of my P990I and the latest firmware is still yet to be released by my carrier but still. That's one of SE's strong points was it's updates and to ditch a product 9 months after it's launch takes the p***. Do they actually want people to buy other products like the iPhone and Nokia? It's doing a good job making them do just that.
apolloa on Jun 30 2007
I miss the good old T68i days....
mrlou on Jun 30 2007
Good! I pity the fools who still own the rancid bug infested piece of sh*t which the P990 was. Even SE have given up on this ill-faited phone!
PE on Jun 30 2007
i will never buy another se phone again.
god1jason on Jun 30 2007
I honestly think they gave it their all... they did try. SE released software upgrades constantly, and everything after R5A17 has drastically improved the stability of the handset. I don't see why everybody is getting so stressed and saying lawsuit this, lawsuit that etc. If you actually read what you guys are saying you look like a big group of whinging babies.
They've upgraded the software to a point they are happy with. Which means its now hardware which is the limiting factor - and so they up the hardware in the P1i. An inconveninence of course, but its the same with a PC. PCs go out of date as soon as you buy them. Technology grows and evolves.
And I still don't understand why you're whinging, you have a 24 month warranty on it. If it breaks, get it fixed.
Kevin on Jul 01 2007
thanks
hch on Jul 09 2007
Well, i have been owning this phone P990 for close to a year now and there has been no problem with the instrument till date.
All that is missing for the phone is some quality software. Well i have NOKIA N95 along with this and i infact have more problems with that phone rather than this one.
I would like to know if there is any site where i can some themes and softwares for P990
Rao.saiprasad@gmail.com is my email address.... please send in the links...
Regards
Prasad
Prasad on Jul 18 2007