MySpace and RIM Collaborate on New Mobile Social Portal for BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry Hub on MySpace
SAN FRANCISCO and WATERLOO, ON—MySpace, the world’s premier social network, and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, today announced they are joining forces to develop an integrated MySpace Mobile experience customized for BlackBerry® smartphones. The new MySpace for BlackBerry® smartphones application is fully optimized to deliver rich content and data to users on the go. MySpace for BlackBerry smartphones integrates MySpace’s main social networking components with the BlackBerry platform to provide instant, push-based messaging to BlackBerry and MySpace users. The application will be available in all BlackBerry® markets globally. RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie will highlight the MySpace and RIM relationship during his keynote speech at CTIA today.
As part of this collaboration, RIM is also creating a BlackBerry® community page on MySpace for users to access the latest BlackBerry smartphone news, content, videos, games, ringtones, skins and other unique and engaging features.
"MySpace and RIM are at the forefront of the mobile social networking evolution," said Chris DeWolfe, chief executive officer of MySpace. "Our partnership enables millions of BlackBerry smartphone users to leverage MySpace on the go and access content, friend networks, and status and mood updates anywhere at any time."
"BlackBerry smartphone users have unsurprisingly been quick to understand and lead mobile trends and we are seeing many of our customers strongly embrace mobile social networking as an integral part of their communications and day-to-day lives," said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "MySpace was one of the first social networking sites to get it right and we are thrilled to join forces to continue evolving and enhancing the mobile social networking experience for our mutual user base."
Mobile social networking is on the rise, with analysts forecasting over 800 million people worldwide accessing social networks through their mobile phones by 2012, up from 82 million in 2007, according to eMarketer. With social networking becoming a large part of the mobile consumer experience, RIM and MySpace are poised to provide consumers easier and deeper engagement with the services they love.
Through this partnership MySpace is further committing to mobile as a central element of the MySpace global business strategy. Today’s news follows the launch of MySpace’s redesigned mobile website,
http://m.myspace.com, which now receives more than two million daily unique mobile visits. Around the world MySpace has more than 27 live carrier deals in 20 countries all bringing social networking to consumers wherever and whenever they want.
SOURCE:
RIM
