[pghrox18]

If RIM wanted to take it to the next level, they need to make BBM ubiquitous and make it available EVERYWHERE....login into your BB account and see your BBM messages...they should sync on the web and your phone via BIS...BBM already blows standard phone texting out of the water...it also would blow Twitter out of the water, by utilizing the BIS that's in place and allowing all the twitter capabilities and bringing the BBM fans back to a service that is portable, everywhere and tied to a BIS account that you could have anywhere you are attached to the internet. The Blackberry users would have more capabilities on their BB phones...but still give access to everyone....longer messages, pictures, video...all through a secure infrastructure...beautiful.

Come on, think 4G everywhere...build the infrastructure to open it up to everyone and change the game!!

Am I missing something?

[AVPTI]

I feel, as long as they are still making their own phones, BBM and other BIS features will remain in-house.

Maybe if they partner with a hardware manufacturer (Samsung) then those phones will have the features. Ones running BB10 and whatever else Samsung is making.

[flash24]

Yup, if RIM decided to stop making hardware then this is definitely a possibility.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[RicZoh]

I've often thought that BBM, like the topic of this thread, could easily lead into something like FaceBook.

You already have your name, a profile pic, and your "status". Just need to build some sort of UI to display all that in one place, and better. A place to store photos, and its pretty much done.

Add in BBMusic, and shared gaming as well and you have yourself one awesome starting point.

My 2 cents.

Sent from my Magical BlackBerry Bold 9900

[siddo_d]

I've been requesting to RIM for months to make BBM into a social network and instant messenger but they keep saying they'll pass it on to BBM team, maybe it will be in BB10

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using CrackBerry forums application

[Sith_Apprentice]

BBM is used by significantly more than just consumers, you are not thinking from a business perspective. We use BBM in house during COOP testing, communication with other agencies when E-mail is down, in the field, etc. These could not and should not ever be on a social networking site.

Business still makes up a SIGNIFICANT chunk of RIMs subscribers, and leveraging BBM as a social networking tool would immediately get rid of many government and corporate users (at least users of BBM).

As a case in point look at the "security" in Facebook or Myspace or even LinkedIn. Hint: virtually non-existent.

[OniPod]

We have Twitter for tweeting, and Facebook for time wasting, we don't need to reinvent the wheel. BBM has some social integration already, and I do not want to see more of it. They can use LiveProfile for social stuff.

Don't get me wrong, I do like social connectivity, I just don't need every app I am using with a direct connection to all my social activities.

[Alex_Hong]

I wouldn't want to see BBM becoming a social platform. We already have twitter, facebook, google+, linkedin and what not. I don't even like BBM connected that much, i like to keep the social networking apps off BBM.

I would like to see BBM grow further as a secure communication tool. Things like VOIP and video chat would be more valuable imo.

[shemaree09]

I disagree, I think BBM would benefit greatly from becoming a social network. Exclusivity is always a plus.

We have twitter, facebook, and all those sites, but they get old and people want to move on to the next. Look at Instagram. When it was Apple exclusive people wanted it! Some people would get an iPhone JUST to use Instagram, even though there are tons other sites that practically do the same thing.

The BBM Music was a GREAT idea, but it wasn't enough. They should have included a web version, more detailed profiles, scrobbling, and a way to connect with other people based on music tastes.