Yep. Three years already. Back on May 14th, 2013, at BlackBerry Live BlackBerry announced a new service within BBM dubbed BBM Channels. As it was described at the time:
BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.
Since then, there have been several updates to BBM Channels with feature additions and small improvements, but unfortunately, there has been no massive overhaul of the system to give it a refreshed look. With that in mind, Pootermobile and the folks over at BerryFlow have gone ahead and created a new visual concept for BBM Channels.
We've taken inspiration from the longtime BBM Channels icon and used it to craft a front end interface that puts many aspects of the application front and center for users to engage with. We've also added in long press gestures to unveil extra context information all from this interface. Check out the video below of our beta rendition.
In our sketches, we envisioned RSS Feed integration, Channel Shops and so much more for the fledgling platform. We wanted the standalone BBM Channels app to be developed as an Android application to allow for quicker development across BlackBerry 10 and Android.
Personally, I loved BBM Channels for a while and used it every day but over time, the gremlins in the system have turned me off from using it on a regular basis. With some love and attention, I still believe BBM Channels has a ton of potential and it seems as though BlackBerry is still slowly working at it.
A refreshed design like this one and some squashing of the bugs that exist could be all that it needs to breathe some new life into the offering. What do you all think of the concept? Would a refreshed design encourage you to use BBM Channels?
Reader comments
Today marks the three year anniversary of BBM Channels
A refreshed design would be best suited.
I meant previously, happy anniversary BBM channels! :D
Typed using my QNX powered BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2.2876 on WINDmobile HSPA+
Happy anniversary BlackBerry Messenger!
Typed using my QNX powered BlackBerry Classic running 10.3.2.2876 on WINDmobile HSPA+
:(
Posted via CB10
I say... BBM VR
Posted via CB10
Yaaaaayyu...errr...wait...I gotta go delete another marriage request...
Cartman says: Nothing Due To Censorship
I follow quit a few BBM Channels. Plus you can even get them to show up in the HUB if you favorite them. I can see that it isn't getting that much support anymore. My favorite channel the Mercedes AMG Petronas, stopped posting. Plus searching for good channels or the official channels is horrible.
I'm like everyone else what is this?
Posted via CB10
First, rename BBM Channels (maybe even bbm for that matter). Next, extend BBM to the desktop... Blend is okay, but it really needs to be browser-based. Then put privacy and security in the hands of users, allowing them to turn on GPS, interest tracking, and big data. In short, turn it into a real social platform that starts with high security and privacy as defaults. Or, continue to focus on providing mobile communications for the niche market of BlackBerry and keep the BBRY market cap where it is.
Perhaps I'm over simplifying a little, but, really, I don't think that BBM's 90M active users (or whatever the current rate is) are all in John Chen's proclaimed target market.
With the right vision, marketing, and execution, BBM (and Channels) could be so much more.
Via CB10 on Z10
The Gif Exchange! That's my channel :)
Posted via CB10
Wait, what?
De - Governor
Wow! That went by fast!
Posted via CB10
Eh
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Hopefully this version let's you delete more than one notification at once
Posted via CB10
Would have been great during its prime. But unfortunately no one uses BBM, hence no one uses channels lol.
#workwide #OG Black
BBM but more importantly Channels needs a Web based format to help it grow.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
I have to say, I never really got into BBM Channels. What's so good about it?
Really like it, don't know why they don't do it and just pay you guys!
Posted via CB10
Wow, 3 years already?!
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Happy Anniversary BBMC! :D
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android thanks to my BlackBerry Priv.
Channels has potential. However none of my user base is there. People subscribed, left BBM and they are still subscribed and not actually viewing the posts. There is really no point in channels unless the channel owner can talk with the subscribers directly. And the channel owner should be able to unsubscribe folk who are posting absurd comments. BBM needs to go cross platform and has to have features better than the competition. Folk nowadays use Snapchat, Viber and WhatsApp. BBM is not that popular at least in the USA. Step up BBM features so that anyone in the world can like it and use it. All my friends refuse to download BBM. Those that did have since left. Perhaps change the name and make it appealing to the masses.
Posted via CB10
Too late, no point.
After three years its in the same position. That must be commended. No growth for 3 years isnt easy.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
These concepts and posts are literally just a waste of time. BlackBerry are synonymous with potential. They have a trend of producing services or apps with "potential" and then they slowly but surely let them die, with no major upgrades with new major features. What they have put into Channels in three years is quite embarrassing.
Remove the spam from BBM Channels and you have a dead system.
I would place BBM Channels alongside BBM Music. Fantastic potential, in some ways ahead of it's time, and then left to slowly die before BlackBerry officially kills it.
Blackberry needs instructions for BBM.
Posted via CB10
What! Maybe if your a retard. Seriously, how hard is it to type a sentence and press send?!?!
Apple has really dumbed down the population.
Sent from my battered and bruised but still kicking (just barely) Z30.
Because that's the only feature in bbm right?
I'd like the ability to schedule my posts on mobile. A feature I can't believe they haven't added yet!
Posted via CB10
Right?? There are several features on the desktop manager that never made it into BBM. One of the many reasons they should just make channels a standalone service! Scheduled posts on mobile would be wonderful.
Posted via CB10
Actually, I think it is available
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
I was in on channels when it first started, but after awhile found it really useless. Was following F1 Mercedes and hockey and a photo group, but ended up deleting the channels because of useless content filling my feed.
Posted via CB10
Good for you... I still use it daily and happen to like it.
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Cool idea, but very poor execution. They dropped the ball when they should of hit the ground running full speed.
In tech once you get your name muddied, it's hard to come back. . Afraid it's almost all over for BlackBerry in general. I think they are just waiting for someone to come along and purchase them.
Sent from my battered and bruised but still kicking (just barely) Z30.
Yea it was fun while it lasted. Cool idea though
Closed them down a while ago
Posted via CB10 with my Q10 or Z30 or Passport or maybe Playbook
Had 2 channels. Thought they would be useful. Just ended up with creepy subscribers.
Posted via CB10 with my Q10 or Z30 or Passport or maybe Playbook
The "PIN, bro"- style ones?
Once you get infected with those there's only very little hope for your channel.... ;-D
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
I get the same featured channels showing for weeks if not months.
Comments still show in reverse order
Can't block people pin sharing
No major updates for years
Official channels dropped like a bad habit. Perhaps because no attention was given to the in featured channels
Let's add more here...maybe it will make a difference /S
Michael Clewley doesn't use his channel anymore. That speaks volumes.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Yes in his position everything he says can be taken the wrong way.
I wouldn't use it either.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
He doesn't use it anymore because people were doooshbags... kinda like the comment section of this site. He would even make is a point to tell people to not ask about device release info because he couldn't share.... and then 50 m0r0ns would post asking for release info of the newest BBRY. SMFH
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Wow cannot believe how fast three years just past.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Blackberry channels is more useless than this post.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
I enjoy my feeds every day... :-D
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
You're subscribing to the wrong channels, mate! :-D
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
Maybe useless to you but you don't speak for all of us.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
I don't know if they're useless or not, but I certainly couldn't find the point of them. It's highly possible I just didn't understand how it worked but it doesn't seem like I'm missing anything special.
~TheRealFixxxer
No you didn't miss anything... most of the commercial channels that did come to BBM were scaled back FaceBook post to begin with. So if you followed say Disney on FaceBook, and on Channels... there was always more info being posted on FaceBook and usually hours if not days sooner.
Now Channels might have been more useful if BBM had already gone cross platform... and was a stable and usable app.
It was a good idea, just came too late to the market and thus wasn't supported to the level required for it to really grow.
Yet not as useless as your comment...
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
BBM Channels can become a great Social secured e-commerce enterprise Communications messenger ! Also a twitter on steroids !
Posted via CB10
It can but it's been stagnant for three years.
Same as the BlackBerry idea department. But what can you do?
Posted via CB10
Yet you're here...
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
I'm having problems entering my channels...
Channels.... Stick a fork in 'er, she's done..
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
+1
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
bbM channels team must delete every single non active bbm channel. Only weekly active channels should remain alive. Let's face it there's hardly a 100 channels regularly updated with the admin taking interest.
Presently bbm channels is a graveyard of thousands of dead and abandoned channels.
The sooner they purge the dead channels the better it can be.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
happy Anniversary BBM
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
I use BBM Channel (C0021DEC3) on a regular basis, reaching out to a small group of followers primarily in Indonesia and Thailand. The new upgrade to Channels is not impressive, barely noticeable.
Posted via CB10
Black theme for Android, please!
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
That better not come before I get a black theme for the Hub on my Q10.
Passport/SQW100-3 .2876 CB10
Secure Chat Platform.
Posted via CB10
+1
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Who still remember when BlackBerry wanted to make BBM as a separate company after the disastrous lost in 2013?
Posted via CB10
There was talk of BBM as a spin-off. There probably still is. Chen divided the company into divisions and stated that each division should be independently profitable. That doesn't really make sense unless you are considering selling or spinning off a business line... or potentially exiting a business line. I think BBM has suffered through this transition to Chen's new BlackBerry with Chen bungling the effort. You need to grow these things to critical mass and differentiate as much as possible before charging. Chen decided make a couple of bucks -- and it couldn't have been much more -- by charging for BBM's new features. It was textbook stupid and everyone here knew it except for the Chen lovers. More importantly, there isn't a driving vision for BBM. I suspect it's supposed to compete with MS Lync, but the changelog hasn't been driving in that direction. It also looks like Skype might be it's target in some ways, but Chen has shown us no glimmer of a plan to disrupt Skype's dominance or where he might differentiate and provide an edge in value. Basically, BBM needed a really good CEO right when BlackBerry hired one of the worst in tech.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Very well said.
Geeez... what a surprise... the 3 stooges of trolls on this site...
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Skype for business is great and it is integrated with office and office 365 nicely. I love it at work, giving presentations to other global offices is a breeze or just making a call and sharing my screen.
BBM will never come close to Skype for business, it needs to be more than sending messages over a phone or sending stickers to friends.
Posted via my BlackBerry PRIV v.6.0.1
Bbm is so much more than what you say, but sadly those are the only things the public knows
Posted via CB10
BBM doesn't come close to Skype for business, when BBM can allow me to take control of another's desktop when supporting a user... when BBM can allow me to screen share my own desktop while giving a PowerPoint presentation to my South African office... when BBM can work on my laptop... when BBM can sync my outlook calendar invites with hyperlinks to my Web hosted laptop meetings... I'll consider BBM
BBM is a lot of things... BBM is absolutely terrible for power users within an office environment.
Posted via my BlackBerry PRIV v.6.0.1
Well said.
Posted via CB10
I still see potential, but they must do something to improve it, a huge step would be to make it available through Web so you can share with no BBM users
Or.. x platform video
Just a thought
Hope it's coming, even for aBBan10ware... ;-P
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
In Asia, all my BBM friends after quit using BlackBerry device, have to switch to whatsapp, wechat, viber and line. Now even more choice but nobody turn back to BBM even IOS and Android have BBM.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
WeCan turn this ship around... BlackBerry 4eva! :-D
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
I thought at some point -- prior to JC -- there was talk of BBM having a web portal. I think Channels is a nice feature, but I think it makes a lot more sense with BBM as a mobile and Web platform. FB has since entered this kind of news and content game and has been struggling, too.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Time flies.
Passport via CB10
Such potential.
my first foray into droidlandia
The last great flop of the Thorsten Heins era.
Last great flop? Ahhhh you're that person I keep hearing about living under a rock.
Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android
Has you ever been to Channels? Unless you're Nigerian or Indonesian you probably haven't.
I have. I follow quite a few BBM Channels and even have my own for family and friends (I stopped posting family photos on Facebook quite some time ago).
Time and CBC have Channels for the news and it isn't filtered like they are on Facebook.
Posted via CB10
I don't live in either of those countries and use it daily...
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Birdbrain is a troll that continually litters this site with his anti-BBRY snark... but he wants BlackBerry to be successful... he told me so. SMFH
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Successful by not putting any more resources into pitiful initiatives like BBM Channels.
Wait, what is BBM??
Posted via CB10
WhatsApp replacement.
Prem Whatsapp?
Posted via CB10
There is no replacement for Prem WhatsApp. He's in a league of his own.
LOL ;-)
Posted via CB10
You got it right... ;-)
...
;-P
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
There you are buddy!
Posted via CB10
Hahaha ... Good one!
That's for sure!! He's in a league of his own and a **** fine gentleman that I have been fortunate enough to meet and call a mate!
Posted via CB10
Thanks for your acknowledgement. I saw your Skull avatar in that video, and thought, ah yeah, that's Bla1ze...
:-D
Even though skulls aren't my favorite things to hang around with... ;-P
• There's a Crack in the Berry right now... •
BBM is BlackBerry Messenger from BlackBerry.
It's give users not only more privacy but also BlackBerry is not a Megadata company like facebook(whatsapp,instagram) that collect all you data. Let's take one example location. O I don't care, yeah right.
All these data could let you pay more for example assurance than you neighbour does only based on location.. If you using whatsapp or facebook they can see how your habits are for example fastfood restaurants, bars, nightlife, working ovrtime every day (stress, health) or just the roadtrip to your work which is crowded every day all thanks to locations. Your neighbour eat healthy, gym, sport locations and his work drive is a safe road for years.
So quess who pay less for his life, health and car assurance. So keep using apps like facebook, whatsapp and you will be rewarded or not.
So that's why BBM - NO MEGADATA
Posted via CB10
Yeah, metadata... :-D
(as well)
Z-Lider hasn't come, it ain't no Z and it don't score 10! ;-D
Blablabla tin foil hat
I see you've been smoking that tinfoil.......
3 years later and I still don't know what BBM channels is.
I have to wonder... in markets where BBM is still used, do they use Channels there?
Would BBM be smaller less resource intensive app if Channels was removed? If so that might have helped BBM in the long run.
Is it because you're a troll or because you don't have access to BBM Channels where you live?
Posted via CB10 on my Silver Edition Passport... device of champions
Obviously I'm a troll -___- ....fool
I actually have no idea what BBM channels is and I've had BBM for about 7 years. UK