- I thought it might be a good idea to revisit the topic of BBM and ways to possibly expand it through add-on services - especially with the influx of new users to the forum since the launch of BB10.
I think many of us legacy BlackBerry users would acknowledge the fact that BBM is an amazing service (even more so with the addition of BBM Voice and BBM Video calling) - but having read countless reviews and spoken to numerous new owners of the Z10, many simply dismiss BBM. I find this concerning. For those individuals that wish to pay lip service to the topic - the reason for this dismissal is simply a lack of contacts.
I've previously expressed my thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of BBM (found here - caution, long read) in which I proposed an add-on service dubbed 'BBM Photos'.
BBM Photos would be a native built photo upload app - akin to the likes of Instagram - but exclusive to BlackBerry users. Combining a hosted photo upload service with an established social network like BBM could (imo) be a real winner. It would give people the opportunity to search for and follow other BBM users via an @username and would be an excellent way for newcomers (including reviewers) to quickly build (or rebuild) their BBM contact lists.
We've already seen BlackBerry launch add-on services such as BBM Music and BBM Money but where else do you think BlackBerry could take it? How else could they expand BBM to reach and better connect a wider audience, particularly newbies (with no contacts)? You could argue that WhatsApp has killed any competitive advantage that BBM had, so what sort of things could BlackBerry do to wrestle back the initiative?Rello likes this.03-24-13 08:22 PMLike 1 - The biggest problem with BBM isn't that....it is that almost no one has a Blackberry, then if they do, they don't use BBM because maybe only 3 of their contacts have a BB. But, unless you are in a relationship or business with someone, or traveling internationally....(texting is cheap now) no one really uses bbm now, when texting and facebook are so easyiamaragingtornado and 32fordman like this.03-24-13 08:35 PMLike 2
- ^ Millions of people use BBM everyday and I am one of them.
Edit:I still have about 30 BBM contacts and 6 of them are on Z10s already.
To suggest that no one uses or wants it is wrong.
Posted via CB1003-24-13 08:40 PMLike 5 -
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- The biggest problem with BBM isn't that....it is that almost no one has a Blackberry, then if they do, they don't use BBM because maybe only 3 of their contacts have a BB. But, unless you are in a relationship or business with someone, or traveling internationally....(texting is cheap now) no one really uses bbm now, when texting and facebook are so easy
Not to brag, but prove a point to you... I have 114 BBM contacts. Only 21 of them are work. The rest are personal. People use BlackBerry. People use BlackBerry Messenger.
In fact, most people who want to defect to other platform, but don't, stick with BlackBerry JUST because of BBM.
Posted via CB10pmccartney likes this.03-24-13 08:49 PMLike 1 - If there is any doubt in anyone's mind if people use or wish to use their BBM, just go to the BBM and PIN sharing section of the forum for a look.
Posted via CB1003-24-13 08:51 PMLike 0 - While this is true, most people don't personally know people on Crackberry. Why would I want a stranger in my contacts?03-24-13 08:59 PMLike 0
- US resident here and although I have 25 contacts on bbm...I personally know 2 of them. 2!!! And one is my girlfriend who I introduced to BB's lol. I enjoy making new friendships but u still wish you had personal friends on the list as well. For many, if they don't have personal contacts that use the service, its pretty much useless to them.03-24-13 09:00 PMLike 0
- US resident here and although I have 25 contacts on bbm...I personally know 2 of them. 2!!! And one is my girlfriend who I introduced to BB's lol. I enjoy making new friendships but u still wish you had personal friends on the list as well. For many, if they don't have personal contacts that use the service, its pretty much useless to them.03-24-13 09:04 PMLike 0
- To answer your question OP (who is one of my 25 contacts lol) I think they can and hope they do add more to BBM. I think your idea for a instagram-like BBM would be excellent. Especially for a platform that really pushes the social and communication aspects of a smartphone, they could essentially make BBM a full blown social network for BB users and make it nearly impossible for users to leave the platform.independentvolume and Mr_F like this.03-24-13 09:07 PMLike 2
- To answer your question OP (who is one of my 25 contacts lol) I think they can and hope they do add more to BBM. I think your idea for a instagram-like BBM would be excellent. Especially for a platform that really pushes the social and communication aspects of a smartphone, they could essentially make BBM a full blown social network for BB users and make it nearly impossible for users to leave the platform.03-24-13 09:09 PMLike 0
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It has nothing to do with whether or not the BBM contacts are friends or not.
Millions of people use BBM. Some here do and some don't and for different reasons.
Posted via CB1003-24-13 09:13 PMLike 0 - This. I remember when I had my 9700 back in the day. Only people in my BBM were my girlfriend and I was in some Green Bay Packer group. Never really posted there. It was mainly me and my lady chatting. Now with regular texting having emoticons and what not there really isn't much of a point.
Bottom line, hopefully the user base will increase here in the US because I would like to have people I personally know on my list. Sure people don't leave because of BBM, but I'm sure you can find more than enough people who don't even use BBM because of the lack of contacts using it. Some even uninstall BBM! With no contacts simply switching devices, or using whatsapp become more attractive for many...03-24-13 09:15 PMLike 0 - The point I am making is in response to the second post which stated that no one really uses BBM now.
It has nothing to do with whether or not the BBM contacts are friends or not.
Millions of people use BBM. Some here do and some don't and for different reasons.
Posted via CB1003-24-13 09:18 PMLike 0 - Yes it is friend. Let's be honest, BBM Video and voice would been AMAZING years ago if the platform could've taken advantage of them. How many would've possibly stay had BB offered them features??? They were more/less expected with BB10...but still nice. I just hope BB will keep pushing the envelope and bring more to BBM. Surely if fans can think of these ideas, I'd hope BB has more than a few surprises plannedMr_F likes this.03-24-13 09:22 PMLike 1
- ya i have thought that bbm as a real social network would be great. the photo/instagram idea is mint - especially with the new photo filters and features of bb10... the site could leverage all the features of the device, camera, video, "what-im-currently-listening-to", geo,.. then with bbm integrated apps, could feature some great tie-ins with 4square, twitter, etc. could offer a mobile site experience for non bb devices, with all the best features reserved for bb hardware... oh man, bbm could be crazy...Mr_F likes this.03-24-13 09:23 PMLike 1
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I don't think I took it too literally at all. I am really not very concerned either. I know many people that like using BBM for friends family and random groups. They also text and use 3rd party cross platform apps. I'm not denying any of that.
Just don't spew things that aren't the slightest bit true.
Posted via CB1003-24-13 09:28 PMLike 0 - The user experience varies. I use it daily and have 300+ contacts. For me, bbm is like my social network hub. I can post to twitter, fb in one go. It's also like twitter where I can talk to other people without giving away my phone no. If u do not socialize than it's ur lost because there's a big world out there.
However, if bbm is connected to instagram it would be better, heh203-24-13 09:36 PMLike 0 - What do you suppose the responses would have been like if I wrote that every one really uses BBM now?
I don't think I took it too literally at all. I am really not very concerned either. I know many people that like using BBM for friends family and random groups. They also text and use 3rd party cross platform apps. I'm not denying any of that.
Just don't spew things that aren't the slightest bit true.
Posted via CB10
I think we all gotta keep a open perspective of where people are from lol. Her profile says she's on AT&T and I'm sure you know...the BB situations is worse for us here in America03-24-13 09:51 PMLike 0 -
no one really uses bbm now, when texting and facebook are so easy03-24-13 09:54 PMLike 0 - While I get that this is human nature, every time I see a post like this, I cringe. I imagine my statistics professor is rolling over in his grave.
"I know three people who do ____" does not necessarily mean "everyone across the globe does _____".
I know lots of people who still play NES games because I have an interest in this. I does not mean the NES is the dominant video game console in 2013.03-24-13 09:56 PMLike 0 - I agree that if people go to alternatives like What'sapp then basically bbm loses some of its luster. I still think most people in Western countries still don't get it though. Blackberry rules in most developing countries and BBM is cheaper then texting for many of those countries. Besides, their population growth makes ours look puny. So if you want to know which platform will survive long term, it is whoever commands the most user "aspiration" in those markets. They may not afford the high end now, but right now, they want to one day have a Blackberry like the rest of the cool "rich" kids.
That being said, back to the thread for a minute, BBM should be used for so much more. I am an admitted amateur in using it enough and continuously learn more as I go. For example, today I learnt (thanks to crackberry!) using Blackberry groups you can manage a todo list between members in a group (think grocery shopping - or in a more business context - create a list of sales prospects that need to be contacted and a group of sales people work their way through the list. Think about any form of project tracking where people can publicize across the group that their task is done. What I would like to see is some type of survey functionality. I think their was an app called InQuery for BBM but I never really got to play with it on BB7 before switching over to my Z10.Mr_F likes this.03-24-13 10:14 PMLike 1 - The biggest problem with BBM isn't that....it is that almost no one has a Blackberry, then if they do, they don't use BBM because maybe only 3 of their contacts have a BB. But, unless you are in a relationship or business with someone, or traveling internationally....(texting is cheap now) no one really uses bbm now, when texting and facebook are so easy
What I'm suggesting is a way to better connect the 60+ million people that still use it - enabling new users to 'get it' a lot sooner. Things like PIN sharing are extremely popular but it isn't for everyone (me included). I'd much rather have an environment / intermediary service where I could find out a bit more about someone before making the decision to add them / not to BBM. Things like BBM Music worked well for things like that - you could see what sort of music people were interested in and exchange comments. If you felt there was enough of a connection you could then add them to BBM safe in the knowledge that they weren't too 'off the wall'. I think the proposed BBM Photos could work in a similar way.
BBM is only as strong as your contact list - and as such BlackBerry need to find a way to enhance the current user experience for those that do use still use BBM. It would be a good way way (imo) to counteract the growing effect of those that decide to leave the platform. Making BBM attractive again (as it once was) to an 'outsider' has to start from within. BlackBerry need to innovate.Rello likes this.03-24-13 10:43 PMLike 1
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Could BBM offer a lot more than it does currently?
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