[BB10user07]

Technically, I'm still a whatsapp user even though I deleted the app long time ago ... Same goes for millions of people out there... Their phone numbers are in the system even though they don't use it anymore ... Since people don't delete their # from the system, they are counted towards the overall count ...

It's an active user count.

Posted via CB10

[Dave Bourque]

Look I would love BBM to beat crappy out of whatsapp but by not giving default option to add by phone they are shooting themselves in the head.
Whatsapp success speaks for itself....Learn from thier success and improvise.

Posted via CB10

5 million per month is a ridiculous expectation... and auto adding phone numbers is incredibly intrusive.... have you heard of all the problems that whatsapp is having regarding security ?

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.1925

[Dave Bourque]

Technically, I'm still a whatsapp user even though I deleted the app long time ago ... Same goes for millions of people out there... Their phone numbers are in the system even though they don't use it anymore ... Since people don't delete their # from the system, they are counted towards the overall count ...

You need to delete the number before you delete the app. There's a option somewhere

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[SirJes]

Clearly I am taking non sense....what about 100m users in last 4 months...or 450 active users...run by 40 people and no marketing budget...Thats a non sence.
If most of your friends are on whatsapp you are very likely to convince others to be on whatsapp and once you add your whatsapp contact list is increasing every single day without any effort...but it's all non sence...going around asking people for thier PIN is the best way...

Posted via CB10

Lol did u answer my question? And your still wrong, if the other person does not have whatsapp and you put their number in your address book it doesn't count as a whatsapp contact, but their number does go to whatsapp server tho

Posted via CB10

[cjcampbell]

Look I would love BBM to beat crappy out of whatsapp but by not giving default option to add by phone they are shooting themselves in the head.
Whatsapp success speaks for itself....Learn from thier success and improvise.

Posted via CB10

They have been out since 2009 so yes, they have an impressive subscriber base. At the moment, the systems are somewhat similar, but once BBM adds the upcoming features like voice, video, channels, and location sharing, Whatsapp will be at a severe disadvantage. I've had Whatsapp twice now... once on my old BB, deleted it, and once on my Z10, again, deleted it.

[Dave Bourque]

They have been out since 2009 so yes, they have an impressive subscriber base. At the moment, the systems are somewhat similar, but once BBM adds the upcoming features like voice, video, channels, and location sharing, Whatsapp will be at a severe disadvantage. I've had it Whatsapp twice now... once on my old BB, deleted it, and once on my Z10, again, deleted it.

And 100+ emoticons lol

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[bombbas]

Bbm all the way! Much better than wattsapp ****e

Posted via CB10

Only true if You use a BlackBerry.

On iOS and Android the overall experience is currently much better on Whatsapp.

Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk 2

[BB10user07]

[QUOTE=cjcampbell;9756466]They have been out since 2009 so yes, they have an impressive subscriber base. At the moment, the systems are somewhat similar, but once BBM adds the upcoming features like voice, video, channels, and location sharing, Whatsapp will be at a severe disadvantage. I've had it Whatsapp twice now... once on my old BB, deleted it, and once on my Z10, again, deleted it.[/QUOTE

I agree to what you said but it's impossible to convince everyone to take their entire contact list and convert them to BBM just because it has voice or vedio.
It's like Facebook, once you get everyone's whole family and friends member no one can take that away...Google tried thier social and friends, circles etc and it had great features but it was impossible at that point to convert people's whole social circle just because it had few good features....and what's to say that what's app cannot launch all those.

Posted via CB10

[srzjumper]

Give people options and don't force it on them. BlackBerry doesn't give an option to use phone # or Pin. WhatsApp forces their service on you. Both aren't ideal.

Posted via CB10

[BB10user07]

5 million per month is a ridiculous expectation... and auto adding phone numbers is incredibly intrusive.... have you heard of all the problems that whatsapp is having regarding security ?

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.1925

Reminds me of security logic that BlackBerry gave when IPhone came along....It makes sense on corporate side but makes no sense for " most" consumers

Posted via CB10

[web99]

I'm not sure how many of those 100 million WhatsApp contacts, as indicated by the OP are genuine contacts.

By this I mean that by default, WhatsApp default behavior is to pretty much load your entire phone contact list into it whether or not you choose to make each person on it a WhatsApp contact. So much for respecting one's privacy.

BBM in my mind is doing the right thing. Firstly by using a PIN so that you don't have to share your phone number if you choose not to.

Secondly, by making a person accept an invite before becoming a contact.

Posted via CB10 from my spectacular Z10

[BB10user07]

Give people options and don't force it on them. BlackBerry doesn't give an option to use phone # or Pin. WhatsApp forces their service on you. Both aren't ideal.

Posted via CB10

Good point and that's what I am saying give option...BlackBerry can do it...let people decide if they want additional privacy.

Posted via CB10

[BB10user07]

I'm not sure how many WhatsApp contacts are genuine contacts.

By this I mean that by default, WhatsApp default behavior is to pretty much load your entire phone contact list into it whether or not you choose to make each person on it a WhatsApp contact. So much for respecting one's privacy.

BBM in my mind is doing the right thing. Firstly by using a PIN so that you don't have to share your phone number if you choose not to.

Secondly, by making a person accept an invite before becoming a contact.

Posted via CB10 from my spectacular Z10

That's why I am saying give people option and let them decide if they want to use.PIN or phone number...By default make it phone and if someone is looking for privacy let them use PIN.

Posted via CB10

[cjcampbell]

[QUOTE=BB10user07;9756485]

They have been out since 2009 so yes, they have an impressive subscriber base. At the moment, the systems are somewhat similar, but once BBM adds the upcoming features like voice, video, channels, and location sharing, Whatsapp will be at a severe disadvantage. I've had it Whatsapp twice now... once on my old BB, deleted it, and once on my Z10, again, deleted it.[/QUOTE

I agree to what you said but it's impossible to convince everyone to take their entire contact list and convert them to BBM just because it has voice or vedio.
It's like Facebook, once you get everyone's whole family and friends member no one can take that away...Google tried thier social and friends, circles etc and it had great features but it was impossible at that point to convert people's whole social circle just because it had few good features....and what's to say that what's app cannot launch all those.

Posted via CB10

Time will tell what it is people are willing to do. It's been a very short period of time since it's been out especially when one considers the head start on other platforms. I won't say definitively that BBM will take over, but I will say that it has a good fighting chance. I will also say that respecting my privacy and that of others is a very strong reason I will not stray and add to the others active user base.

[Dave Bourque]

Reminds me of security logic that BlackBerry gave when IPhone came along....It makes sense on corporate side but makes no sense for " most" consumers

Posted via CB10

Tell me why consumers would want this? You think consumers don't care about security concerns ? Should I keep my wallet open for anyone to pick pocket me as easily as possible because that's what consumers want!? Wtf lol
http://m.crackberry.com/more-security-issues-whatsapp

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[Dave Bourque]

That's why I am saying give people option and let them decide if they want to use.PIN or phone number...By default make it phone and if someone is looking for privacy let them use PIN.

Posted via CB10

It's not hard to share your pin... share to Facebook. share to whatever email or text you want.

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[BB10user07]

It's not hard to share your pin... share to Facebook. share to whatever email or text you want.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.1925

I agree but outside of CB world and fans like us including me it does not work this way....people want simplicity...why would ask someone for a PIN when you are automatically getting then on your whatsapp...it's a sel fulfilling cycle...just like Facebook was at some point

Posted via CB10

[sentimentGX4]

There are advantages to both methodologies; but, phone numbers is definitely better for growing your user base so its probably the smarter strategy to make $$$.

Four months? bbm did 40 million in 1.5 months. who's really leading now?

If you do the math, 40 million in 1.5 months and 100 million in 4 months is close to the same.

And there's no guarantee that Blackberry's initial momentum will be sustained.

[zensen]

The companies and people who acknowledge their competitors strengths always come out strong and those who don't end up like Blockbuster, Birders, Circuit City to name a few...
There's nothing to loose to give people by default option of adding by phone.

Posted via CB10

So their business model will crumble by not offering this

People need to sign up for a BlackBerry id - personal details like a phone number is not needed to link.
When you invite users, u can email, buzz them via social media, use smart tags...It's not hard.

Hey can I have your phone number... I want to continue this conversation via whatsapp because that's the only other way I can add you.

[cjcampbell]

I agree but outside of CB world and fans like us including me it does not work this way....people want simplicity...why would ask someone for a PIN when you are automatically getting then on your whatsapp...it's a sel fulfilling cycle...just like Facebook was at some point

Posted via CB10

And again, it goes to privacy. I don't want my entire address book added to BBM which is what Whatsapp does if one of your contacts also has it. BBM will scan my book and if there are any in there, that I have full contact info, like their email, then it will "suggest" them and give me the option of adding. There are many in the suggested section and they remain there because.... wait for it.... I don't want them on my BBM.

[bombbas]

[dryly] It proves nothing of the sort. First off, we don't know whether these 100M users are "active" users or not. Secondly, it's probably the power of network effects.

It's unclear to me that BBM will be able to overtake Whatsapp unless it offers clear and unambiguous advantages over alternatives on Android and iOS in a stable and extremely usable manner.

+1



Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk 2

[Bsbudd]

Give people options and don't force it on them. BlackBerry doesn't give an option to use phone # or Pin. WhatsApp forces their service on you. Both aren't ideal.

Posted via CB10

I don't think whatsapp forces anything on you. You are agreeing to their terms when downloading the app and it is very clear it uses your phone number. In terms of privacy I would have to agree BBM is certainly better but people are lazy and don't remember their pins from what I have experienced or simply don't know how.

I tried getting my BBM list to grow with very little success and it always comes back to whatsapp. Out of 163 good contacts I have three people who installed it but still keep messaging me on whatsapp. I don't have anything against either platforms and like both.

[nighthawks]

BS?? Line, Kakao , viber all use simple phone number instead of ID or PIN. they are more convenient and successful than BBM

[DJBS4LIFE]

I shouldn't have to give my number out to use WhatsCrap.

@DJBrianS | C0001F285

[BB10user07]

I don't think whatsapp forces anything on you. You are agreeing to their terms when downloading the app and it is very clear it uses your phone number. In terms of privacy I would have to agree BBM is certainly better but people are lazy and don't remember their pins from what I have experienced or simply don't know how.

I tried getting my BBM list to grow with very little success and it always comes back to whatsapp. Out of 163 good contacts I have three people who installed it but still keep messaging me on whatsapp. I don't have anything against either platforms and like both.

Thats exactly what is other than BBM fans and teenagers in developing countries no one has time and energy to do this...Whatsapp is for remaining 90% of the people in the world no matter if it has inferring UI compared to BBM.
That's hey give people option to do both on BBM.

Posted via CB10