As one of the world’s largest messaging and social media apps, BBM is constantly upgrading and improving its features. A host of new features have just been announced for the South African and Nigerian markets and the latest version of BBM is now available on Google Play or the App Store.
This new version includes a new chatbot API, more analytics for BBM partners, spam reporting, the ability for existing users to add a phone number to their profiles, and more.
Streamlined Look and Feel
This release includes a number of updates and improvements to streamline the iOS user experience. They include:
Updated icons for Chats, Contacts, Feeds
- Contacts and Discover simplify the main navigation menu
- Discover icon now appears on the main navigation menu
- BBM Channels moved from main navigation to BBM Discover screen
- User profile picture, PIN and other information on your settings is now on the “Me” menu
- Mute conversations by swiping left on items in your chat list—a new feature
- Friend requests now appear on the Contacts tab
- Group chat notifications now include name of group members, as well as group name
The new layout will make it easier to see new services as they launch, since they will get slotted into the list. Also, just for Android users, when you update your profile picture, it will show up as a full image in the feeds so people can view the image without clicking to expand.
Chatbot API
The latest release also includes the anxiously awaited chatbot application programming interface (API). BBM channel owners now have the opportunity to bring their own, interactive software chatbots to BBM that can converse with customers.
This new capability builds on the channel chat feature where previously, you could chat with the channel owner but only via phone. Now, a human channel representative or a chatbot program can answer the questions received in chat.
This is the first of a number of API initiatives that BBM plans to add so stay tuned for more news soon.
If you’re a channel owner, now is the time to jump on this exciting technology trend.
Analytics for Partners
BBM has also integrated better metrics via Google Analytics to provide partners with a view into expanded engagement metrics. Partners can now easily track their traffic, including the number of unique users, returning users, how long people are staying on their applications, and more.
Spam Reporting
BBM now lets you report unwanted friend requests as “spam.” BBM has been hearing from users that they’ve been seeing unwanted friend requests in their BBM. Now there’s an easy way to report those.
Add a Phone Number
Last July, BBM added a phone number registration feature, making it possible to sign up for a new BBM account with a phone number, instead of an email address as the main contact. Now, existing users who originally set up their BBM account with an email address can add a phone number to their profiles.
Adding a phone number provides additional security and speeds up the process for resetting forgotten passwords. It also makes it easier to find friends.
All these new features join the many others that BBM has released over the last couple of years in order to make BBM the hub of your digital life.
