RIM Talks BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 Details – Future of Video Chat?

BBM6

We have heard some high level details about the upcoming BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 from RIM in the past but now we have some more juicy facts from MWC. BBNews attended a session covering the upcoming BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 and the new developer API’s it offers and I have to say its exciting. Some of the stuff is just pure gold like a file transfer API and others is just a sad excuse for a feature. With over 35 million BBM users worldwide RIM has a huge opportunity on their hands if they keep on pushing the envelope with BBM. Here is to hoping it keeps on updating BBM every 6 months!

Here is how I see the new BBM 6.0 break down.

The Good:

  • File Transfer API – This allows developers to create apps that transfer files between users without any backend infrastructure. This can also be used to transfer moves in a chess game or share the full contents of an article.
  • That same File Transfer API will also will allow for users to send songs to friends. Maybe make a VoIP call, or even send Video Chats (hopefully?) Theban says in the video this will be the infrastructure RIM will build more functionality on.
  • Initiate a game play with a BBM friend. If friend does not have the game it will direct them to App World to download it.
  • Chat with other people using an app in real time. In other words you will be seeing way more dating sites showing up with BlackBerry apps.

Check out the video:

The opportunity:

  • RIM had a huge opportunity with allowing developers to broadcast achievements. The could have created a quasi game center to save you game high scores or even allow developers to store some application settings in the cloud. Instead BBM 6.0 simply lets them edit a dumb text box on your profile. In short no awards list or global high score competitions and tournaments… Sad.
  • RIM seems to be allowing apps to update your Avatar. That could be a fun thing that would allow devs to create an avatar of the day from a source like your Picasa photo albums.
  • RIM could really make a killing if they go back into AOL 1.0 style chat rooms. You can see in App World that there are tons of users looking for friends to chat with. Somebody needs to create a sort of chat roulette or chat room app that allows you to join a chat room per topic or interest with the option to private message a user.

What do you think?

13 total comments on this postSubmit your comment!