Yesterday we saw that the very popular cross-platform mobile IM app WhatsApp updated its pricing model for the iPhone. What was once a $0.99 download is now a free download. But it’s only free for the first year, after which the subscription to keep using it costs $0.99 per year.
Is this a good change for WhatsApp? And what does it mean for BlackBerry’s potential to gain customers on cross-platform BBM this summer? Seems like something worth talking about.
If we look at this pricing move in isolation, I think it would normally be a good thing for WhatsApp. Making the download free rather than charging money is bound to get you more downloads. And paying $0.99 one time versus paying that same amount every year is still peanuts. It’s as close to free as possible without actually being free.
Read More »
