BBM for Windows Phone
Two thoughts occurred to me today on completely opposite ends of the spectrum as to why BlackBerry doesn't yet have a Windows Phone app released. These are both PURELY speculation on my part. I have no good evidence as to either and I'll actually start with a 3rd very plausible, though markedly less exciting alternative.
My first, non-interesting theory goes hand in hand with what a lot of others are speculating. The app is forthcoming, but BlackBerry merely decided to target the two platforms with the largest global and north American market shares; Android and iOS. Then shift focus to other platforms, Windows Phone included after the dust settles a bit. See, not very exciting.
For me, this next one is the most interesting. The rumours are that BBM is coming to WP8 and Windows 8. So perhaps the delay is in getting their team up to speed on building as much of the application into dll's that will run across all of Microsoft's platforms. This might also mean an Xbox One version of the app once released. While I find .Net and Visual Studio a much better alternative to anything Android and iOS offer, what I read about Microsoft's new Portable class libraries is that they can be a bit more of a pain to write (if you have existing code) due to the limitations in individual platforms. But it could explain a hold up, and one which would have value to both users and BlackBerry.
And the last thought is one I had this morning. And I really hope this isn't the case. But that would be that the omission is on purpose to spite Windows Phone. Thorsten Heins DID basically, publicly and directly insult Microsoft and Windows Phone not long ago. While I don't think the move would improve the situation for BlackBerry itself, it makes another headlining app which is available on iOS and Android and not WP8 which could stand to hurt adoption of Windows Phone. That being said... BlackBerry has made a number of what I consider to be very stupid moves lately, so perhaps this truly is a last ditch bid to stop people from leaving BlackBerry for Windows Phone.
At this point, I don't think BlackBerry as a company can afford to be spiteful. They have said that they are open to developing the app for other platforms. And it is reasonable to think that Windows Phone is amongst them, if not the totality of the remaining ones they are currently thinking of. Though the fact that they wouldn't confirm that they are working on a version for Windows Phone seems a bit suspect. The fact that they are releasing BBM to other platforms is already beyond out of the bag. There is little value in being speculative at this point.
So perhaps they truly aren't doing a WP app. But that begs the question... if not WP, then what? In the mobile segment, WP is bigger than BBOS now, and BBOS is bigger than the next biggest competitor. An iPhone app will run on an iPad, and same goes for Android on Tablets, and once again Microsoft is #3 there as well, ahead of the Playbook. And then you have laptops/desktops where Windows is #1 still. Gaming consoles? Last I checked Xbox 360 was ahead of PS3, and PS4 and Xbox One aren't out yet, though many predict Xbox One will out sell PS4. And we've run out of all of the obvious platforms for this type of an app to target.
My first, non-interesting theory goes hand in hand with what a lot of others are speculating. The app is forthcoming, but BlackBerry merely decided to target the two platforms with the largest global and north American market shares; Android and iOS. Then shift focus to other platforms, Windows Phone included after the dust settles a bit. See, not very exciting.
For me, this next one is the most interesting. The rumours are that BBM is coming to WP8 and Windows 8. So perhaps the delay is in getting their team up to speed on building as much of the application into dll's that will run across all of Microsoft's platforms. This might also mean an Xbox One version of the app once released. While I find .Net and Visual Studio a much better alternative to anything Android and iOS offer, what I read about Microsoft's new Portable class libraries is that they can be a bit more of a pain to write (if you have existing code) due to the limitations in individual platforms. But it could explain a hold up, and one which would have value to both users and BlackBerry.
And the last thought is one I had this morning. And I really hope this isn't the case. But that would be that the omission is on purpose to spite Windows Phone. Thorsten Heins DID basically, publicly and directly insult Microsoft and Windows Phone not long ago. While I don't think the move would improve the situation for BlackBerry itself, it makes another headlining app which is available on iOS and Android and not WP8 which could stand to hurt adoption of Windows Phone. That being said... BlackBerry has made a number of what I consider to be very stupid moves lately, so perhaps this truly is a last ditch bid to stop people from leaving BlackBerry for Windows Phone.
At this point, I don't think BlackBerry as a company can afford to be spiteful. They have said that they are open to developing the app for other platforms. And it is reasonable to think that Windows Phone is amongst them, if not the totality of the remaining ones they are currently thinking of. Though the fact that they wouldn't confirm that they are working on a version for Windows Phone seems a bit suspect. The fact that they are releasing BBM to other platforms is already beyond out of the bag. There is little value in being speculative at this point.
So perhaps they truly aren't doing a WP app. But that begs the question... if not WP, then what? In the mobile segment, WP is bigger than BBOS now, and BBOS is bigger than the next biggest competitor. An iPhone app will run on an iPad, and same goes for Android on Tablets, and once again Microsoft is #3 there as well, ahead of the Playbook. And then you have laptops/desktops where Windows is #1 still. Gaming consoles? Last I checked Xbox 360 was ahead of PS3, and PS4 and Xbox One aren't out yet, though many predict Xbox One will out sell PS4. And we've run out of all of the obvious platforms for this type of an app to target.
Comments
Post a Comment