We’ve heard previous rumours of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) coming to iOS, but this time around further evidence in the form of a job posting leads us to believe something is in the works for some sort of RIM iOS app.
AllThingsD refers to a LinkedIn ad, where RIM seeks to hire a ‘Senior iOS Mobile Developer’ to work for them in Bellevue, WA. Here is the job description:
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Create exciting enterprise applications for distribution on the iOS platform
- Implement new products and enhancements as they are required
- Involvement in a software development life-cycle of mobile and web-based software and user interface design and development
- Working in conjunction with teammates to formulate a shared vision, then researching, prototyping and presenting solutions that make the vision more tangible and actionable (both from a product and technical perspective)
- Collaborating with project stakeholders to identify and influence software solutions that maximize business value by realizing the appropriate balance of near-term and long-term objectives
- Building demos that showcase technology advances and new capabilities
- Identifying and promoting opportunities to create a user-friendly customer experience
- Making presentations to executives, project stakeholders, and others
Back in November of last year,
RIM announced BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, which would be supported on iOS. Mobile Fusion would be a device management software to protect iPhones for enterprise customers. Aside from that, one would hope a ‘BBM for iOS’ app would surely keep some BlackBerry users around so they can still communicate with
ex-BBM friends now on an iPhone.
What do you think? What could RIM possibly do with an iOS developer? Create a game out of
the ‘Bold Team’?
Update 1:
AllThingsD heard from RIM, and indeed this position for for Mobile Fusion:
“In order for BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to perform advanced management functions for iOS devices, RIM will develop an on device client to be included as part of the overall solution,” a company spokesperson told AllThingsD.