If you had not already heard or read about it, BBM will be made available for iOS and Android phones this summer, and for free. Some Android phones may even have BBM app pre-installed.
From what I know, using BB Messenger does not count as data-roaming when you are overseas. That is, you can continue using BB Messenger without being charged. Good for frequent traveller. Catch-21 is that you need to subscribe to BB plan in your home country.
In the end, it's about user base and revenue. I agree it's a little later and BB is playing catchup now. BB leadership needs to be tuned in.
Why do you think BlackBerry wants to make its proprietary app available to competing platforms?
On hintsight, which is always 20/20 btw, they should have done it when they were the market leader in instant messenging. But they took the high and mighty route which wanted users to convert fully to BB platform if they wanted BBM which in this day and age, is just not workable with the ease of availability of alternative competing platforms. Just have a look at how fast they fell from grace.
Also, with so many alternatives now, what is the incentive for a user to use BBM rather than Whatsapp/Line/Facebook.
I think the idea for BB now is to turn iteslf into a more software company with proprietry apps, services and subscription base.
It already knows that it can no longer be in the manufacturing game after many attempts to dent Samsung and Apple dominance. On top of this manufacturing base is always an expnesive affair with a lot of fixed capital assets and thus BBM is moving away by manufcturing BBs it will free up capital and cash to pursue a less capital intensive but slim company.
Focusing on software and subscription may be a good idea but unless you have a strong product and network of users and subscription, you may not survive long...
"He could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex." �Ian Fleming, Casino Royale (1953)
From what I know, using BB Messenger does not count as data-roaming when you are overseas. That is, you can continue using BB Messenger without being charged. Good for frequent traveller. Catch-21 is that you need to subscribe to BB plan in your home country.
I am not familiar with how BlackBerry bundles the BBM service for BB users. If what you say is true, that is only due to the way BB is selling/bundling their products/services, and not due to a different technology as BBM is also transmitting over internet connect using the mobile network when not connected to WIFI.
I don't foresee it will be the exact same case when BBM is installed and used in other platforms.
Watches are like potato chips - You never stop at one
I think the idea for BB now is to turn iteslf into a more software company with proprietry apps, services and subscription base.
It already knows that it can no longer be in the manufacturing game after many attempts to dent Samsung and Apple dominance. On top of this manufacturing base is always an expnesive affair with a lot of fixed capital assets and thus BBM is moving away by manufcturing BBs it will free up capital and cash to pursue a less capital intensive but slim company.
Focusing on software and subscription may be a good idea but unless you have a strong product and network of users and subscription, you may not survive long...
That could well be a possibility in future, but I don't think BB is already thinking of existing the handsets business now.
Watches are like potato chips - You never stop at one
Trying to gain market share. Trying to retain existing users. Let users of other platform connect to bb users.
Almost correct.
One intention is obviously to retain current BB users, who like BBM but are finding it less relevant due to its inability to communicate with users of other platforms as well as the decrease in users on the BBM network.
Making BBM available to users of other platforms will also expose BB to non-BB users and provide the opportunity for it to market and sell their products and services directly to the mobile phone users. Indeed, while BB has said that BBM will be free on other platforms, it has also been openly talking about using its "Channels", a FB like BBM-based social network, as the money-making tool.
Watches are like potato chips - You never stop at one
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