BBM on iOS/Android: Users aren't sticking to BBM

Dear Mr. Chen,
Please take the time to read this. It will surely move things within you.
I am sure you are aware of the decline in active cross-platform users. I have personally felt it and I'm sure there are people out there sensing the crunch.
This is what the majority of the none-active users tell me:

"My BBM list is like Instagram, I just go on once or twice a week to check the updates".

" I like and comment on a picture and then the conversation continues on WhatsApp"

" WhatsApp is way simpler. Even my grandpa started using it. BBM doesn't have that simple touch and feeling to it"

" BBM used to be the go-to messaging app, now it simply lost its heat"

Those were all comments based on opinions.

Below are comments based on how the app actually functions:

" The app is too cluttered. You don't get enough screen room for a full conversation. It gets tiring to scroll up and down while typing and reading"

" The size of the buttons aren't customised for android. Everything seems enlarged and magnified. It's not easy on the eyes. Plus, the action bar is redundant on android. I basically have two Back buttons and it takes too much space"

" The notifications are horrible. I never get them on my (android) phone. I'd have to open the app so that messages can come in". (I checked and all settings are set to what they should be)

" Notifications are never on time. Besides that, group chats keep disappearing. Group chats lack a lot of functions compared to Hangouts. You never know who read what and when. It doesn't really bring groups together unless everyone is there and talking.

" Screen real estate needs to be fixed. I don't feel that it was designed for iphones or android devices"

" You cant even attach videos. Plus, when you send me a screenshot or a picture, I receive it so blurry I can barely make sense of the picture".

None of those users ever mentioned Channels, Glympse, or Voice calling.

This is disappointing. I encouraged many friends to switch to BBM and they were really happy the first month. Now they are slowly disappearing and deleted the app and arent even willing to try it with the new update. I'm losing close to 2 contacts per month (started with 35). Soon I'll be left with 3 or 4 who are simply using BBM because they aren't tech savvy and are on there because they just need a way to communicate with me.

Communication between the BBM team and the users need to be more frequent. The users need to know that Blackberry didn't just make the app and forget about it. That's how I feel, and they are slowly forgetting about it.

Sincerely ,
A user that is simply dreaming of seeing BBM as the #1 messaging app.

Pay attention BlackBerry!!

These problems are NOT getting any better. What are you going to do about it?

Posted with Z10 via CB10

I was able to have more than 50 mix android ios user tried bbm and now only less than 5 still in my contacts


Z10 10.2.1.2141

sure there are people who don't like change, or don't use because its blackberry or because its new, but for every story you post negatively, I will find 2 positive ones… 90% of my bbm contacts are android and iOS users… and our conversations moved from whatsapp.. of course whatsapp will be easier to use if thats what they have been used to for years…. but its hardly the ease of use thats keeping people from using bbm… it's the infancy and user base thats stopping it now.. it takes time its not going to happen over night…

The problem is that it's moving in the wrong direction already. Unless BlackBerry can immediately resolve the persistent reliability and notification issues it is already too late

Posted with Z10 via CB10

Originally Posted by adjdudley21

sure there are people who don't like change, or don't use because its blackberry or because its new, but for every story you post negatively, I will find 2 positive ones� 90% of my bbm contacts are android and iOS users� and our conversations moved from whatsapp.. of course whatsapp will be easier to use if thats what they have been used to for years�. but its hardly the ease of use thats keeping people from using bbm� it's the infancy and user base thats stopping it now.. it takes time its not going to happen over night�

Can you please not get defensive? I am posting opinions of open-minded people that used BBM because I personally recommended it to them. Those were the answers I got in the past few weeks since BBM was launched. I said they liked it in the first month or so, but then human nature kicked in and they started to compare, which is bound to happen. It's not like they have a negative attitude towards anything Blackberry.

Originally Posted by BBrickk

" The size of the buttons aren't customised for android. Everything seems enlarged and magnified. It's not easy on the eyes. Plus, the action bar is redundant on android. I basically have two Back buttons and it takes too much space"
about it.

I agree with a lot of this but the action bar cab be shut off in the settings.



Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by boody78

I agree with a lot of this but the action bar cab be shut off in the settings.



Posted via CB10

The main one can't be. The one with keyboard yes you're right, it can be. The user was referring to the bar that has the Back button stuck to it. You cant remove that one.

I like your comments

Posted via CB10

I have 76 bbm contacts. 52 of which are mix iOS and Android. I've only had one person delete the app.

Posted via CB10 running on Z10STL100-1/10.2.1.2228

Originally Posted by BBrickk

Dear Mr. Chen,
Please take the time to read this. It will surely move things within you.
I am sure you are aware of the decline in active cross-platform users. I have personally felt it and I'm sure there are people out there sensing the crunch.
This is what the majority of the none-active users tell me:

"My BBM list is like Instagram, I just go on once or twice a week to check the updates".

" I like and comment on a picture and then the conversation continues on WhatsApp"

" WhatsApp is way simpler. Even my grandpa started using it. BBM doesn't have that simple touch and feeling to it"

" BBM used to be the go-to messaging app, now it simply lost its heat"

Those were all comments based on opinions.

Below are comments based on how the app actually functions:

" The app is too cluttered. You don't get enough screen room for a full conversation. It gets tiring to scroll up and down while typing and reading"

" The size of the buttons aren't customised for android. Everything seems enlarged and magnified. It's not easy on the eyes. Plus, the action bar is redundant on android. I basically have two Back buttons and it takes too much space"

" The notifications are horrible. I never get them on my (android) phone. I'd have to open the app so that messages can come in". (I checked and all settings are set to what they should be)

" Notifications are never on time. Besides that, group chats keep disappearing. Group chats lack a lot of functions compared to Hangouts. You never know who read what and when. It doesn't really bring groups together unless everyone is there and talking.

" Screen real estate needs to be fixed. I don't feel that it was designed for iphones or android devices"

" You cant even attach videos. Plus, when you send me a screenshot or a picture, I receive it so blurry I can barely make sense of the picture".

None of those users ever mentioned Channels, Glympse, or Voice calling.

This is disappointing. I encouraged many friends to switch to BBM and they were really happy the first month. Now they are slowly disappearing and deleted the app and arent even willing to try it with the new update. I'm losing close to 2 contacts per month (started with 35). Soon I'll be left with 3 or 4 who are simply using BBM because they aren't tech savvy and are on there because they just need a way to communicate with me.

Communication between the BBM team and the users need to be more frequent. The users need to know that Blackberry didn't just make the app and forget about it. That's how I feel, and they are slowly forgetting about it.

Sincerely ,
A user that is simply dreaming of seeing BBM as the #1 messaging app.

I have a Droid Maxx and thats basically how my experience went as well. I had trouble going in and out of the app. It completely ignored the Holo guidelines. I tried to use it but it just isnt a modern designed and functioning application.

Originally Posted by crackberry_geek

The problem is that it's moving in the wrong direction already. Unless BlackBerry can immediately resolve the persistent reliability and notification issues it is already too late

Posted with Z10 via CB10

It's already too late.

I'm seeing uncles and aunts from Central America that are still rocking BBOS devices popping up on whatsapp. One of them (that has had a BlackBerry for years) knows how to send me photos through whatsapp but not BBM.

I'm sure when whatsapp adds voice, everyone will know and rave about it. As of last week, those same bbm contacts didn't even know they had voice (ohhh that's what the green squares is?!!)

Failure after failure after failure.


Posted via CB10

I think a more unified experience (plus a desktop version) would help.

I have around 50 non BlackBerry users on my bbm and only one iPhone user stop using so far. I know it's not good to lose even one but that's not a bad percentage in my opinion

Posted via CB10