With the increasing popularity of Twitter and the number of BlackBerry users Tweeting from their devices, we just figured that it would be a matter of time before RIM released a native Twitter client for the BlackBerry.
According to CrackBerry:
It’ll be a BIS-B Push based handheld client leveraging RIM’s past app experiences and making use of the new components being developed within MySpace projects. It will feature core BlackBerry application integration, and be tied in to the address book, browser and device setup wizard. You can expect the user interface to be along the same lines as other RIM-built social networking apps and offer a similar experience. As for features, it’ll have everything you’d expect a twitter app these days to have, including trending topics.
I am willing to bet that, like MySpace for BlackBerry and especially Facebook for Blackerry, Twitter for BlackBerry, once released, will quickly become one of the most downloaded BlackBerry applications of all time.
There are quite a few BlackBerry Twitter clients out there, several of which are quite good. My guess is that a few of the 3rd party BlackBerry Twitter clients, like UberTwitter and Social Scope will survive, simply because so many BlackBerry users already use them. It will be interesting, however, to see what happens to the lesser known clients and also the Twitter clients that have yet to come out.
If you are a developer working on a BlackBerry Twitter client that hasn’t come out yet, my strong suggestion is that you make sure you release it before RIM releases their native client. We have no idea when Twitter for BlackBerry will launch, however, if you expect to see any significant adoption of your 3rd party client, the sooner you get it out the better.
Why does RIM have to build these app’s? Where are the 3rd party app designers?
I wouldn’t say that RIM has to build these apps, and, in the case of BlackBerry Twitter clients, there is a long list of 3rd party developers that have created free and premium Twitter clients for the BlackBerry.
RIM is undoubtedly creating a native Twitter client because of the popularity of Twitter and because it will be a very visible way to add another “killer app” to their devices. Mobile phone users generally are pretty fickle consumers and the smallest things keep them loyal to a brand or send them packing to another device.
Just look at the number of BlackBerry users that stay BlackBerry users because of BlackBerry Messenger. Facebook is hugely popular and I am sure that the question has been asked when a current BlackBerry user was looking at another device, “Can I get on Facebook on this like I can on my BlackBerry”?
A Twitter for BlackBerry app from RIM will generate millions if not tens of millions of downloads. If the app doesn’t suck, it alone could keep a segment of BlackBerry users loyal to the BlackBerry brand.
From what I’ve heard about what the Twitter for BlackBerry client will do, it will rival desktop clients and be real time because BIS. A little birdy told me that Twitter is actually working with RIM on this.
Twitter’s popularity and the marketing campaign that RIM puts behind their native Twitter client will generate a lot of buzz. What is really important RIM is the opportunity to showcase what BIS can do and the kind of applications that can be built on the BlackBerry platform.
You guys are comparing this to Facebook and MySpace. Trust me… It will be much more…
They should be working on their browser…