A Revolution in Smartphone Messaging: BBM Coming to Android and iOS
By: Hillel Fuld
Every so often there is a new category that arises in the various app stores and begins to boom. Some examples have been photo sharing apps, group messaging apps, and of course free texting apps. Apps like WhatsApp and Kik made lots of noise and have both built up a substantial user base. I am pretty sure the original idea when developing these apps was to make a BBM for iPhone. That would explain RIM banning Kik from the App World.
BBM is the free messaging app that is preinstalled and always running on BlackBerry smartphones. It is one of the main attractions for users to stay on the BlackBerry platform and it was one of my main concerns when switching from BlackBerry to iPhone.
I guess it was just a matter of time before someone at RIM had the red light bulb light up and think “If other apps who copied the BBM concept are doing so well on other platforms, why not just offer BBM on those platforms? After all, Android and iOS are growing just a little faster than BlackBerry is”.
According to BGR, that is exactly what RIM has decided to do starting with Android. Why Android? Well because, it is open and an app like BBM, which integrates with your device’s phone book would be much easier to implement on Android than iOS, although I am sure iOS will follow soon.
So, if RIM is going to offer BBM on other platforms, why would anyone still buy a BlackBerry? Good question. For starters, when it comes to email, and having tested out all the possible solutions for email on iPhone, BlackBerry still rules. Nothing compares to the speed at which email comes in on BlackBerry. In addition, even with all the impressive smartphones on the market, many BlackBerry devices still offer the best typing experience for those that like the hardware keyboard experience.
However, when it comes to BBM, RIM will supposedly offer a stripped down version of BBM on Android, which will allow free texting, but no file or location sharing, the way the real BBM on BlackBerry devices does.
RIM is clearly struggling to define its future strategy in light of the immense competition coming from Apple and Google. We recently learned that the Playbook will run Android apps, and now, the last unique feature that RIM had, BBM is making its way to the competition.
BGR thinks this is a good strategy because users will see how great BBM is and want a BlackBerry. I say that is nuts. I just don’t see someone saying “Wow, this texting UI is great, I think I will get rid of this device with an advanced touch interface and hundreds of thousands of available apps, and go out and buy a device with a primitive display, a few thousand apps, and close to no multimedia capabilities”. Oh and would someone really give up on the Android or iOS Angry Birds for the BlackBerry version? See below…
Am I wrong? Hit me up in the comments or on Twitter. You can find me here.
