Nimbuzz

Nimbuzz
Developer(s) Nimbuzz B.V.
Initial release 13 May 2008[1]
Stable release

Android: 3.7.1
(23 July 2015 (2015-07-23)) [±][2]

iOS: 4.1.0
(28 July 2015 (2015-07-28)) [±][3]

BlackBerry OS: 4.0
(10 December 2013 (2013-12-10)) [±][4]

Windows Phone: 1.1.8.1
(16 April 2014 (2014-04-16)) [±][5]
Operating system Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, Windows Phone, Java ME, Windows, and Mac OS.
Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi, Arabic and more.[6]
Type Instant Messaging Client & VoIP
Licence Proprietary
Website www.nimbuzz.com/en/

Nimbuzz is a proprietary cross-platform instant messaging aggregator for smartphones, tablets and personal computers developed by Nimbuzz B.V. Nimbuzz has 150 million users in 200 countries.[7]

Under Vikas Saxena's leadership,[8] Nimbuzz application enables users to enjoy free calls, instant messaging, social games, file sharing, and social networking on their mobile device. In addition; Nimbuzz offers discounted calling rates to most countries in the world.[9] Nimbuzz garners more than 210,000 new registrations per day.[10]

Company history and background

Originally based in the Netherlands, Nimbuzz was founded in 2006 by Evert Jaap Lugt. In the first round of funding the company received US$10 million on 19 May 2007, from various investors.[11][12] In a second round of funding Nimbuzz received an additional US$15 million.[13]

Nimbuzz entered the VoIP market in January 2007.[14] In May 2008, the company launched its combined Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and instant messaging client.[1] In January 2009, the company was selected as one of 100 winners of the industry award "Red Herring Global 100" for 2008.[15][16]

In 2012 Nimbuzz moved its headquarters from Rotterdam to New Delhi, India to be closer to the expected mobile Internet boom happening there in the next five years.[17][18][19] Nimbuzz appointed Vikas Saxena as the new CEO as part of the move. A fifth of Nimbuzz's users reside in India.[20] Additional offices are located in San Francisco, California; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Córdoba, Argentina where a software development team is located; and Rotterdam, the Netherlands.[21] Revenue for the company comes from NimbuzzOut, sales on N-World, and from advertising inside the application.[22][23] The company also partners directly with some telecom operators.[24]

Features and functionality

Nimbuzz is available for Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, Windows Phone and Java ME mobile operating systems. It is one of the few IM apps available for Java-based phones, and they account for 25% of Nimbuzz users.[25][26][27] For non-natively supported devices, a WAP interface is available. For desktop computers, clients are available for both Windows and Mac OS X. It is available in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi and Arabic.[6]

Nimbuzz users can send XMPP based instant messages, images, and share their location. Group chat is supported. Voice-over-Internet Protocol calls between most Nimbuzz clients is supported,[28] and there is a VoIP-to-PSTN (landline/cellular) service branded as "NimbuzzOut".[29] Nimbuzz can be set up with any valid SIP (VoIP) account.[30]

Nimbuzz supports interaction with popular messaging services such as Twitter, Facebook Chat and Google Talk. In February 2012, Nimbuzz announced the discontinuation of support for ICQ, AIM, Myspace and Hyves because the general lack of usage of these chat services.[31]

Nimbuzz has an in-app portal called N-World, with applications, gifts, games, avatars and other virtual goods for sale. N-World has its own currency called Nimbuckz[22][32][33]

References

  1. 1 2 "Nimbuzz's All-in-One Mobile IM & VoIP App". gigaom.com. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Nimbuzz Messenger on Google Play". Google Play Store. Nimbuzz B.V. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Nimbuzz Messenger". iTunes Store. Nimbuzz B.V. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "BlackBerry World - Nimbuzz Messenger". BlackBerry World. Nimbuzz B.V. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "Nimbuzz". Windows Phone. Nimbuzz B.V. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Windows Phone 8 – Now Connected!". Nimbuzz blog. 3 April 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Nimbuzz reaches 150 million users". Telecompaper.com. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  8. ↑ http://www.medianama.com/2012/05/223-nimbuzz-to-shift-its-global-hq-to-india-vikas-saxena-is-ceo/
  9. ↑ http://thenextweb.com/in/2013/10/22/nimbuzz-launches-low-cost-international-calling-in-india-aiming-to-disrupt-a-1-5-billion-industry/
  10. ↑ http://thenextweb.com/in/2014/04/24/nimbuzz-targets-skype-with-deal-to-pre-install-its-app-on-lg-devices-with-100-minutes-of-free-calls/
  11. ↑ "Nimbuzz Completes US$10 Million in New Financing". PR Newswire. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  12. ↑ Nicole, Kristen (19 June 2007). "Nimbuzz Raises $10M in Funding". Mashable. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "European Mobile VoIP Startup Nimbuzz Raises $15 Million". Techcrunch. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  14. ↑ "No Buzz for Nimbuzz". gigaom.com. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  15. ↑ "Nimbuzz in Red Herring top 100". Emerce (in Dutch) (The Netherlands). 21 January 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Nimbuzz awarded Red Herring 100". Techwatch. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "Nimbuzz to relocate global headquarters to India". The Times of India. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  18. ↑ "Nimbuzz moves HQ from Netherlands to India". IndianTelevision.com. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  19. ↑ "Nimbuzz appoints Vikas Saxena as CEO". TelecomTiger. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "Nimbuzz chat application relocates global headquarters to India". The Economic Times. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  21. ↑ "Company Overview of Nimbuzz B.V.". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  22. 1 2 Wee, Willis (31 May 2013). "Nimbuzz Dominates India and Middle East". Tech in Asia. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  23. ↑ "Nimbuzz bets big on mobile advertising". The Hindu Business Line. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  24. ↑ "Nimbuzz To Double Manpower, Revenue Growth in 2013". Light Reading India. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  25. ↑ Butcher, Mike (15 March 2013). "Nimbuzz Hits 150M Emerging Market Users, Puts The Heat on Facebook in Asia". TechCrunch. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  26. ↑ Kanal, Nishtha (16 March 2013). "Nimbuzz reaches 150 million worldwide user mark". Tech2. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  27. ↑ "Nimbuzz Planning to Join Asia Chat App Wars". Tech in Asia. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  28. ↑ "Alternative To Skype on the Mobile". Nimbuzz blog. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  29. ↑ "NimbuzzOut". Nimbuzz. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  30. ↑ "Nimbuzz SIP Settings for voip configuration". voipvoip.com. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  31. ↑ "Discontinuation of AOL, ICQ, MySpace, Hyves". nimbuzz.com. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  32. ↑ "Nimbuzz Support". Nimbuzz. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  33. ↑ "Exclusive: Nimbuzz Update Introduces N-World for Android". Tech 2. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2013.

External links

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