Applications Battle: Peoples Opinion and Preference of Blackberry Messenger or Whatsapp

There appears to be an ongoing app war between
RIM's Blackberry Messenger, BBM and a budding
rival WatsApp Messenger. While BBM has remained
users favourite app for exchanging free instant
messages amongst a close user group on
Blackberry device, WatsApp has come to slice the
strong hold, perhaps threatening to push BBM to a
seemingly uncomfortable corner.
Unlike BBM which operates in a closed user group,
WhatsApp Messenger is a cross-platform mobile
messaging app which also allows you to exchange
messages without having to pay for SMS. It is
available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows
Phone and Nokia.
This range of phones can all message each other
because WhatsApp uses the same internet data
plan that you use for email and web browsing.
Another beauty of it is that it seamlessly connects
to users who exchange contacts, automatically,
without seeking PINs or authorizations.
Although this messaging platform is gaining
ground among youths and school children, the grip
BBM has on loyal users, seems to be even getting
tighter. So when we sampled opinion of a number
of users of both platforms and the war was
interesting to witness. Hear them out!
Mr.Olaniyi Dare
WhatsApp is sensational.
I was introduced to it by a friend and since then, I
fell in love with it. The platform has more smileys
than BBM and it's an app that can be used on any
phone. You see, the catch is that whatsapp
upgrades a new contact automatically and you
don't need to request to add someone up. You can
add anybody once the person is on whatsapp. For
me, BBM is too serious.
Miss Sopulu Amaechina
I prefer BBM because most people on the platform
are on twitter and news get to twitter faster and by
so doing pass on to BBM.
Mr. Awotoye Abayomi
WhatsApp is boring and does not express much
maturity on users. Most of the people on BBM are
serious people no matter their age and there is this
air of responsibility that revolves around the
platform. Most of my friends are on BBM and for
me, that says it all.
Miss Eva Aja
I prefer BBM to whatsapp because it's a nice way of
communicating when one doesn't have airtime on
the phone. Whatsapp takes time in sending
messages. In fact, more people use BBM than
whatsapp.
Miss Vaughan Kemi
I am not a gadget freak though, but whatsapp is
more like it to me. You know, it works on any phone
as long as one has access to the internet.
Whatsapp gives everyone on your contact extra
means of communicating with you because not
only can you chat, you can also call the person
since you have the person's number.
BBM on the other hand has restricted users, it is
strictly for people using Black berry phones.
Whatsapp is an app you download but BBM is more
like an added technology to the phone. These apps
both perform the same function but whatsapp has
an added advantage because of the number it
shows or asks for before you can add up a contact.
But bbm uses pin which cannot be used to call up
somebody.
Mr. Jide Familugba
When something is meant to look like something, it
can never be the same. Whatsapp was modeled
after BBM and that tells you what an innovation
BBM is. However I have also observed that most
Blackberry users do also download whatsapp on
their phones. To me, that's an extra to a user. Yet,
bbm is still an easier platform to send videos,
music, pictures even as it attributes smiley's,
status, personal messages as well as it displays
pictures.
Miss Aigbomian Obehi
For me whatsapp is a good innovation but I still
prefer BBM because it's more interesting. But the
two apps have disadvantages. While BBM could
sometimes, be annoying by the way people
announce their every movement and anything in
their lives, it is also very interesting to have.
In the same vein, whatsapp is innovative because it
creates alternative for people who cannot afford a
blackberry or do not like the device. On WhatsApp,
even if you delete contact, the person still has your
number. But if you ask me, BBM still has upper
hand on User Interface experience