YouMail to discontinue BlackBerry updates
YouMail recently updated its app to include the ability to easily ditch a telemarketer or stalker’s call. It turns out that YouMail will be ditching BlackBerry.
The company announced that it will suspend further development for the platform.
“This was a tough decision, especially since the BlackBerry is what got us our first million registered users and put us on the map as a company,” YouMail said in a blog post. “But over the past year we’ve seen our BlackBerry audience steadily shrink, with a steady exodus of those users moving to the iPhone and to Android.”
Decline indeed. In fact, the post goes on to say that they see more Windows Phone 7 users than BlackBerry users -- “and we don’t even have a Windows Phone 7 app!” (Don’t hold your breath there. When asked about a Windows Phone app, they point to the competition as being suitable.)
As you can imagine, this news wasn’t well received by some users. “So after using you guys for 4 or 5 years now, I get booted because I actually LIKE BlackBerry? Foul guys, that’s just foul...” wrote BB_Lover1026 in response to the post.
Another user responded that YouMail’s departure might have been better left unsaid: “Bottom line. You are better off just not saying anything and let the app fade off into the sunset than to make a public statement. What few US customers you still have will feel alienated and likely leave faster now. I did.”
Besides getting the “it’s not you, it’s your phone” brush-off, BlackBerry users do get some new features in this last update: the ability to ditch callers, speed, stability and an ad-free environment.
Undesired callers would get a “number out of service” message and won’t be able to leave a message.
“So enjoy this release,” the company’s farewell reads. “If BlackBerry stages a comeback (and we’re definitely rooting for BB10 to take off!) or we can figure out how to drive a meaningful number of new BlackBerry users, we’ll be back.”
In the meantime, iPhone and Android users get to look forward to more updates from YouMail. The app now includes for both platforms: visual caller ID, smart greetings, one-click call ditching and the option to tweet voicemails.
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