[JasonGallagher]

Just posted from Nokia World...

'Live on stage at Nokia World 2013, WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum announced the instant messaging service now has 350 million monthly active users. That's up by 50 million since August, when the network announced it had hit 300 million. Koum also announced that some 250,000 users per day are registering for WhatsApp using Nokia devices - including Symbian, Asha, and Lumia handsets - over 7 million per month.'

Interesting to see that Symbian phones were included in this mix as well??!!

How long do you think it will take for BBM to reach 350M or do you think it's even possible right now?



Posted via CB10

[qbnkelt]

I wouldn't attempt to guess.
I do know that I am dropping WhatsApp as soon as my contacts make their way to BBM.

[MidnightSociety]

I wouldn't attempt to guess.
I do know that I am dropping WhatsApp as soon as my contacts make their way to BBM.

I have about 3 more whatsapp uses that I need to convert. Than buh bye whatsapp

[tlegend2012]

That number will change soon..

[walcolm]

word on the street is BBM won't be able to do it...mentioned to a blackberry cynic that BBM should grow user base to about a 100m by this weekend if they don't mess up the activation process and he was all over me.

he believes most of the people using the cross platform BBM will be current BBM users who will be dropping their BB devices now that BBM is available on iOS and android

[Danny Ocean]

I'd say it's a longshot, but really there are too many variables right now to accurately project. Notable is that there are quite a few Blackberry users in China that can't use BBM due to the lack of BIS availability. Ironically, many of these users are using WhatsApp on their BBos devices. Would be very interested to see some more detailed user statistics from WhatsApp.

[JasonGallagher]

I'm hoping to as well, I have one whatsapp group that is on the waiting list for bbm as we speak. Once in, I hope the experience satisfies everyone and then I'm done with it!

I'm curious to know whether BBM and Whatsapp are using the same metric to determine active users...anyway, looking forward to seeing bbm numbers rise astronomically in the coming days and weeks.

Posted via CB10

[Danny Ocean]

word on the street is BBM won't be able to do it...mentioned to a blackberry cynic that BBM should grow user base to about a 100m by this weekend if they don't mess up the activation process and he was all over me.

he believes most of the people using the cross platform BBM will be current BBM users who will be dropping their BB devices now that BBM is available on iOS and android

I really don't buy into this. Certainly each market is different, but how many people do you think literally stay with Blackberry JUST for BBM? Also, this isn't the way the sales cycles work for mobile. Finally, whether they are using a BB device or not doesn't matter as BBM users are BBM users. The point is not to differentiate hardware but to look at BBM as effectively a wholly separate entity as presumably there is a long term plan to monetize that user base.

[FR33MAN]

People needs to invite friends and they will do it. Probably not all but a good part like my friends did for whatsapp.


Posted via CB10

[Oscar_E]

And that guy should be in the stock market to become a millionaire, cause he knows so much !!

[texazzpete]

Certainly each market is different, but how many people do you think literally stay with Blackberry JUST for BBM?

I'd guess at least 10 to 15 million people. Most likely more. BBM is a MASSIVE reason for Blackberry sales in Africa, Middle East, Asia and in the UK teen demographic.

I live in a country where carrying two phones is the norm, with the Blackberry device used mainly for BBM, BIS and social networking. With the proliferation of cheap but capable Android devices, the rise of Instagram, the increasing popularity of apps and cheaper data plans, the BBs are falling out of favor.

On my contact list alone, 5 people have sold their BlackBerry devices between yesterday and noon today.

[Bluline79]

I wouldn't attempt to guess.
I do know that I am dropping WhatsApp as soon as my contacts make their way to BBM.

Ditto!!

Posted via CB10

[Danny Ocean]

I'd guess at least 10 to 15 million people. Most likely more. BBM is a MASSIVE reason for Blackberry sales in Africa, Middle East, Asia and in the UK teen demographic.

I live in a country where carrying two phones is the norm, with the Blackberry device used mainly for BBM, BIS and social networking. With the proliferation of cheap but capable Android devices, the rise of Instagram, the increasing popularity of apps and cheaper data plans, the BBs are falling out of favor.

On my contact list alone, 5 people have sold their BlackBerry devices between yesterday and noon today.

Wow that's interesting. Such a contrast to my experience in the US market where (save for a declining pool of enterprise users) I feel like the last dinosaur outside of the CB forums. I currently only know 2 other people still using Blackberries- 1) My fiance, because she literally has never downloaded a single app in her life and loves my old 9900 because it's great for texting and calling and 2) My brother, because I hyped up the Z10 when it launched.

[PorcinusMaximus]

... On my contact list alone, 5 people have sold their BlackBerry devices between yesterday and noon today.

So, if five people sold their BlackBerry devices that means five people bought BlackBerry devices. Right?

[Danny Ocean]

So, if five people sold their BlackBerry devices that means five people bought BlackBerry devices. Right?

Ha, good catch. Unless of course the buyers were already BB users and simply getting a new device. Then we've got attrition of 5. Your move holy man.

[hrim5493]

I think a few things need to happen for BBM to overtake whatsapp. By no means is 350 million user base an easy task to achieve, but i think BBM can do it by doing the following things:

• Better voice notes. I admit that when im in a group chat in whatsapp with my friends, the push to talk feature is very convenient and easy to use. BBM needs something like that.
• BBM channels need to be released and advertised heavily. I think its a great social add-on that enhances the BBM experience
• BBM video. This would be amazing if BBM can detect front facing cameras and allows users from different platforms to have option of BBM video
• Dont charge the user base. I know whatsapp charges $1 (in US, not sure about other countries) after one year of usage. Keeping BBM free will only attract more users.
• Advertise BBM constantly to get users more aware that there is good alternative to whatsapp

[PorcinusMaximus]

Ha, good catch. Unless of course the buyers were already BB users and simply getting a new device. Then we've got attrition of 5. Your move holy man.

Nah, I'm calling bs on his post. He just didn't think it through. Should have said five people upgraded to other platforms, lol. "Between yesterday and noon today"? Cmon.

[bbhuh]

I don't think bbm will reach that number because bbmx markets are not as big as whatsapp.

Sent via Tapatalk 2

[tmichaelmorrissey]

If 70M BBM users can convince 5 other contacts to download BBM the community will grow to 350M in no time. I have set up my 5 already. BBM users, what are you waiting for. Spread the love now!

Posted via CB10

[hrim5493]

Well realistically speaking...we get 350 million user base if we steal ALL of whatsapp's user base which is not going to happen.

I don't think bbm will reach that number because bbmx markets are not as big as whatsapp.

Sent via Tapatalk 2

[AnimalPak200]

The BBM name can only carry it so far, now they need to quickly add voice and video to win the competition with features.

Posted via CB10

[anon(1152406)]

Not that I know anyone who has a Windows Phone, but I hope BBM releases it on WP for the sake of growth (and they can rightly say they are cross platform)...

[SirJes]

I predict bbm reaching this amount in a shorter period of time.

Posted via CB10

[realtrevor]

On the other hand BBM has gotten more than 5 million downloads in the past 8 hrs. I foresee BB growing to the size of WhatsApp. What BlackBerry needs to do is to cater for the entry level smartphones as well, as that's what has also boosted WhatsApp.

[hrim5493]

Lots of people who still use entry level phones have 2.XX android operating system and BBM doesnt support those.

On the other hand BBM has gotten more than 5 million downloads in the past 8 hrs. I foresee BB growing to the size of WhatsApp. What BlackBerry needs to do is to cater for the entry level smartphones as well, as that's what has also boosted WhatsApp.