Research In Motion announces new BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) Social Platform SDK 1.0 for Java and BBM Social SDK 1.0 for WebWorks beta.
Research
In Motion has announced the availability of the BlackBerry
Messenger Social Platform SDK 1.0 for BlackBerry Javafinal
versionand the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform SDK 1.0 for
BlackBerry WebWorks first public beta.
The
BBM Social Platform SDK is a toolset that enables developers to build a
new
class of apps that leverage the power of the BBM social interactions.
BBM has more than 45 million active users throughout the world and is
growing at more than
two million active users per month, RIM officials said.
The
new SDKs give Java and Web developers access to new APIs that enable them to integrate
BBM social interactions in their apps, providing better differentiation. They
also get a jump on app monetization through the viral distribution channel
represented by the conversations of 45 million BBM users. They can build
socially engaging apps including multimedia, gaming, location-based services
(LBS), VOIP, video and commerce. And within those apps, not only can users
connect and chat with BBM contacts but they can also share application
achievements and content in real time.
RIM
officials said the final version of the BBM Social Platform SDK 1.0 for
BlackBerry Java adds a few changes and refinements to the platform since the
last beta refresh in the spring of 2011.
Several
new APIs in this release enable developers to deliver engaging and interactive
social experiences, including the ability for an application to receive
invitations from other users who are not on their contact list. There are also
changes to the contact picker UI to improve the selection of multiple contacts
and for initiating a multi-user chat. This release also features the ability to
send a join invitation to a user who does not have the app installed. And
there is a new API to determine whether the
app is running on the test platform or production platform.
Developers
can get started and download the final version of the BBM Social Platform
SDK 1.0 for BlackBerry Java now available from BlackBerry Developer Zone
at http://us.blackberry.com/developers/blackberrymessenger/
to create the new build for their apps. BBM 6 will support apps using the BBM
Social Platform.
Meanwhile,
the first public beta of the BBM Social Platform SDK 1.0 for BlackBerry WebWorks
adds full support to the BlackBerry WebWorks platform and brings the features
of the BBM Social Platform to web developers. Developers can add social
features to their web application through new APIs to: access and update fields
in the user's BBM profile such as status, avatar and personal message, create
their own custom areas within the user's BBM profile for promoting recent
application activity or storing trophies and achievements, initiate BBM chats
with friends, initiate BBM file transfers, and share applications virally with
friends in their contact list. There also is an API
to initiate application-to-application background communication through BBM for
sending and receiving application data, such as game moves, or alternatively,
leverage this communication channel for enabling in-app chat, RIM said.
The
beta version for BlackBerry WebWorks can be downloaded from the BlackBerry
Developer Zone at http://us.blackberry.com/developers/blackberrymessenger/
Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.
Email
Print
