MobiData records mobile IM growth

Local mobile application developer MobiData-Group has reported major growth since adopting an online marketing model.

The ASX-listed company recently reported that it picked up some 20,000 users of its mobile instant messaging application, MobiChat, in the space of a month.

Installations have grown from 50 per day to 600 since adopting the strategy — which includes special offers and lead generation via international sites — in December.

According to chief operating officer, Rob Bridger, demand for MobiChat was driven by the boom in desktop-based instant messaging (IM).

“IM is particularly popular amongst the younger set that already uses it on their PC,” he said. “We simply take that behaviour set and transfer it to mobile devices.”

Being able to provide IM for a fraction of the cost of SMS — around 1 cent per message according to Bridger — was also responsible for the rapid growth.

The company was also expanding locally thanks to a growing partner network that currently includes ninemsn, Tandy, DSE, Secure Sentinel and independent mobile phone retailer AllPhones.

This growth was largely off the back of demand for additional applications catering to the need for mobile data back-up, push email and antivirus programs, Bridger said.

“The Cabir virus which spread via bluetooth was fairly benign,” he said. “But in the last year virus are starting to become malicious. The more mobile devices become like computers they more people will want to attack them like they do PCs.”

MobiData was also exploring a number of OEM opportunities in the region, Bridger said.