1. Mr_F's Avatar
    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 PM
  2. crackcookie's Avatar
    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
    03-24-13 08:35 PM
  3. pmccartney's Avatar
    ^ 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 CB10
    03-24-13 08:40 PM
  4. Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes's Avatar
    ^ Millions of people use BBM everyday and I am one of them.

    Posted via CB10
    me too
    shaunj539 likes this.
    03-24-13 08:41 PM
  5. shai404's Avatar
    I use BBM and love it

    Z10
    03-24-13 08:44 PM
  6. iamaragingtornado's Avatar
    I know several other BlackBerry users, none of them use BBM.

    Posted via CB10
    03-24-13 08:49 PM
  7. wxmancanada's Avatar
    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
    You do realize what website you're on, right?

    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 CB10
    pmccartney likes this.
    03-24-13 08:49 PM
  8. pmccartney's Avatar
    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 CB10
    03-24-13 08:51 PM
  9. independentvolume's Avatar
    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 CB10
    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 PM
  10. Rello's Avatar
    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 PM
  11. independentvolume's Avatar
    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.
    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.
    03-24-13 09:04 PM
  12. Rello's Avatar
    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 PM
  13. independentvolume's Avatar
    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.
    What we have here is a missed BBM experience. lol
    03-24-13 09:09 PM
  14. pmccartney's Avatar
    While this is true, most people don't personally know people on Crackberry. Why would I want a stranger in my contacts?
    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 CB10
    03-24-13 09:13 PM
  15. Rello's Avatar
    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.
    Exactly....I see it from both sides but I really do understand that many don't want people they don't know on their contact list...or at least not the whole list. My girlfriend is the only one I talk to daily but I actually do have quite a few people my list that I don't mind talking to weekly. Some found me from crackberry, others came from group. On the flipside, I have people add me from group and then never talk. What's the 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 PM
  16. Rello's Avatar
    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 CB10
    I think you took her post a little too literally lol. I think she's just simply saying that when they only know 2 or 3 people personally using a BB, some might still be inclined to use Facebook messenger or whatsapp because more people use them services
    03-24-13 09:18 PM
  17. Rello's Avatar
    What we have here is a missed BBM experience. lol
    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 planned
    Mr_F likes this.
    03-24-13 09:22 PM
  18. k-fos's Avatar
    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 PM
  19. pmccartney's Avatar
    I think you took her post a little too literally lol. I think she's just simply saying that when they only know 2 or 3 people personally using a BB, some might still be inclined to use Facebook messenger or whatsapp because more people use them services
    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
    03-24-13 09:28 PM
  20. TheGreatGouk's Avatar
    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, heh2
    03-24-13 09:36 PM
  21. Rello's Avatar
    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
    Oh yeah I agree with u...BBM has different uses for different people. I just don't think she meant it exactly like that but maybe she could've worded it slightly better...

    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 America
    03-24-13 09:51 PM
  22. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    The biggest problem with BBM isn't that....it is that almost no one has a Blackberry
    If you consider almost 80 million people "no one". :-) Agree, if you're in the US and agree that the contact lists have been shrinking.

    no one really uses bbm now, when texting and facebook are so easy
    Except for the 60 million active BBM users.
    03-24-13 09:54 PM
  23. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    I know several other BlackBerry users, none of them use BBM.
    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 PM
  24. rfariasblackberry's Avatar
    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 PM
  25. Mr_F's Avatar
    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
    I disagree that it isn't one of the main problems - threads like this one speak volumes. It was someone that switched from an iphone to a Z10 and didn't really get what all the fuss was about with BBM. By the end of the thread (after having gained some contacts and using it for a bit) they were a huge fan. It's a sentiment that I've heard expressed many times over (by reviewers, new users and non-users alike). As with many aspects of using a BlackBerry the benefits are not always immediately apparent - and usually take a week or so of use to really 'get it'. BBM is no different in that respect.

    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 PM
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