According to CNN, UberMedia — the company responsible for UberSocial, Echofon and Twidroyd — is looking into developing its own Twitter-like competitor. CNN cites three people briefed on the matter (but not authorized to speak publicly) as describing the service as a response to some of the most common complaints about Twitter, including restrictions on message length.
In the past eight months, UberMedia has acquired a number of high-profile Twitter clients, quickly building itself into a third-party powerhouse. The company raised $17.5 million in funding in February, following rumors that it is in talks to acquire third-party juggernaut TweetDeck.
The company ran afoul of Twitter’s policies in February, and Twit ter temporarily banned apps like Twidroyd. The apps regained access to Twitter after a few days, but that situation, as well as Twitter’s position on client applications, may have the company seeking out alternatives.
The problem with building an entire business on someone else’s platform is that if the rules regarding the platform change, the business can be put in jeopardy.
CNN says UberMedia’s Twitter alternative might be a “just in case” backup plan, only to be utilized if relations with Twitter break down.
TweetDeck, the leading third-party Twitter client, has its own alternative network of sorts, Deck.ly. It allows users to post messages longer than 140 characters. Additionally, because TweetDeck users create a TweetDeck account in addition to a Twitter account, creating a backup network or alternative communications platform is less cumbersome for users.
Many companies have tried — and have failed — to compete with Twitter. It...
