SkyFire announced last week that it got infused with $5 Million in funding to accelerate their growth to the BlackBerry Platform. It kind of blew my mind to hear that number since it makes me wonder how a web browser is going to be able to make back the $5+ to pay back investors. That definitely points to advertising or a monthly subscription cost for SkyFire when it launches. Either than or it is setting itself up for an acquisition. Still the browser is doing quite well on Windows Mobile and Symbian but I have yet to see a revenue model that will be survivable.
This comes right after QuickPlay mentioned that it would be looking towards an IPO sometime in the next year or two if the market is right. I don’t know one person who actually pays for QuickPlay’s Primetime2Go $7.99 month service since it only downloads videos over Wi-Fi. Maybe once they get iPhone support things will take off.
Still this all makes me wonder what the earning potential is for a BlackBerry application. I really hope it is possible to survive a $5 million dollar infusion and still offer a VC level return. I wish you all the luck SkyFire. Here is to hoping that $5 brings the BlackBerry version that much closer!
Captain Obvious Not Registered
Posted: September 8, 2009 at 12:02 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8900
Hate to be the bearer of obvious news…(waaait for it) I LIED. But, with the delay, the lack of information/updates, the whole pausing of the Alpha program skit, Opera (due for an upgrade) and then if you swirl all that around and then throw in RIMs acquisition of Torch…call it a wrap for Skyfire. Sure, people are going to try it out like a new restaurant. But,that’s because of it’s relative infancy on BB. Once it’s released, few, if any are going to pay for a browser (save the die hard via BlackBerry internet surfers). And I doubt highly if any would suscribe monthly. All that said, I’m sensing deficit in investors’ futures on this one. SOL Skyfire. C’mon RIM. SCREW YOU, BOLT!
perry valton Not Registered
Posted: September 8, 2009 at 7:10 PM EST
Lol.
A Claye Jones Not Registered
Posted: September 9, 2009 at 7:01 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9000
I agree. We all remember the days of IE and Netscape. Sure Netscape was the faster/better browser at that time, but people weren’t willing to pay for it then and they sure aren’t going to pay for it now. SkyFire would have to be really special to pull this off.
JD502 Not Registered
Posted: September 29, 2009 at 3:21 PM EST
You are crazy captin…. SkyFire is a great browser, and they will not charge a fee. They are are going to release the BB ver., get the hype going, and sell, sell, sell. That is where they will make their money. I have been running this browser on WM 6.1, and have never ever had a problem w/ it. It is much better than Opera, and any other one I have tried. You should try things out before you shut the door on them so fast.