BBM, iMessage, and Google What? Google Talk.
At WWDC this year, Apple announced iMessage, essentially a clone of BBM (BlackBerry Messenger). Several sources are now reporting that Google has been working on their own “Google Messenger”. For example, our friend Andrew Kameka at Androinica.
Following Apple’s promise to deliver an iOS 5 messaging platform that mirrors the functionality of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), The Wall Street Journal reports that Google has been hard at work doing the same. Before you say, “Duh, Android already has GTalk,” that is not the same. BBM is more advanced because it has file and location sharing, groups, and other features that are all optimized for the mobile experience.
But my first thought is, “Duh, why not just improve Google Talk for the mobile experience and include these types of options along with the ability to customize your experience?”
I never really understood the complete obsession with BBM since you can only BBM other BlackBerry owners. The same would go (I assume) for iMessage. So why would Google want to create a closed messaging system in an otherwise open mobile environment?
They wouldn’t. Google talk already works cross platform. In my opinion, if they’re going to make a change, it should simply be one of a rebranding. Change Google Talk to Google Messenger and change Google Voice to Google Talk. Instead of creating a new product that will compete with the product you already have, why not just improve the currently awesome service you’ve got to make it more feature filled and flexible?
If some type of “Google Messager” feature/app is being reported by the WSJ and other respected media outlets I won’t deny it… I just don’t see how it’s of strategic interest to Google. Eager to hear your thoughts on BBM vs. iMessage vs. Google Talk below, as well as the prospects of Google launching their own (additional) messaging platform.