Can you tell us more about your service ?
eBuddy created the world’s first, independent web browser-based instant messaging service as e-Messenger in 2003. Its patent-pending technology enables more than 12 million monthly IM users with AIM (AOL), Google Talk, MSN, MySpace and Yahoo Messenger accounts to chat free of charge in one, aggregated interface without having to download or install any application on their computer. eBuddy launched a mobile IM application in June 2007 allowing users access via their mobile phone, independent of carrier or device via WAP or mobile internet browser. (m.ebuddy.com). The service is hugely popular worldwide amongst students and employees who are not allowed to download instant messaging applications on university or employer-owned computers. Additionally, young people who don’t have their own computer and share with other people or family members are a popular and important, target market segment. eBuddy users are nearly equal among men and women with women showing only slightly higher user numbers than their male counterparts.
Mobile:The J2ME application has been downloaded more than 3 million times since its launch in June 2007. The J2ME application is especially popular in Asia, whilst users in Europe and the US tend to access the browser version with greater frequency. The J2ME client may be downloaded at http://get.ebuddy.com and the browser version may be accesses via http://m.ebuddy.com. eBuddy may also be downloaded via popular mobile application sites on the internet, like GetJar.com. eBuddy works together with operators in some countries and the service is then within the portal. Additionally, eBuddy has a partnership with Samsung, and both the application and the browser version may be located at the Samsung FunClub portal. eBuddy intends and has plans to work collaboratively and in partnership with more operators in the future.Mobile IM has been a focal point for a lot of operators, but it has to really hit the mass market. According to research analysts from Informa, the global market for mobile instant messaging will become an $11 billion (€7.4 billion) industry by 2011. Furthermore, research firm, The Radicati Group estimates the number of public IM accounts worldwide is 993 million and the market will reach an estimated 1.5 billion accounts by 2011. eBuddy is poised to play a significant part in that growth, and proves that mass market adoption and usage is possible with a MIM service that is easy to use and accessible by nearly everyone who owns a mobile handset.
What is your business model ?
Revenues are being earned via online advertising on the web and eBuddy currently serves more than 1.3 billion ad impressions per month. With respect to a mobile advertising platform, the model will depend on whether it is in partnership with operators or operator-independent. Operators frequently package MIM together with a data plan. eBuddy requests a revenue share of that package.
Open AIM 2.0 Developer Program Partner : eBuddy was announced as one of the inaugural partners of AOL’s Open AIM 2.0 launch in early March 2008, an initiative affording the developer community the freedom to access the AIM IM network with unprecedented ease, and to integrate AIM into their websites and applications in their own ways.
What are the projects, additional features you’re preparing ?
A new feature that is coming soon to eBuddy’s mobile version is the eBuddy ID, which already exists on eBuddy’s web version. A user may create a single, unique ID and then use it to log-in and access all of their IM networks and accounts at the same time. As an example: You are a member and have accounts on both Yahoo Messenger and MSN Live Messenger. You can now log-in all at once using your single, eBuddy ID instead of logging into all of your IM accounts separately. The look and feel of the eBuddy ID application and browser version has been changed recently and will be released soon as well.
What are the current users’ feedback, your learnings on the service’s usage ?
Key eBuddy highlights & statistics: (as of 8 April, 2008) 12 million global visitors per month, 1.5 million new network IM users, added every month, 1.3 billion+ advertising impressions per month, 50% growth in unique visitors year/year in 2007, 1.8 million unique mobile users per month – 75k+ new users added per day, Mobile IM: 3 million+ J2ME downloads since June 2007 launch