When Ankit Prasad and his team launched Bobble AI, a smart keypad app, in 2015, it primarily served as a user-generated content app, with a focus on Indic languages. Through strategic alliances with major smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi, Bobble has since evolved into a conversation media platform and an AI company. Its objective is to provide engaging smartphone keyboard solutions and leverage its vast user base of over 80 million to forge profitable partnerships with advertisers and brands.
The company’s ultimate goal is to expand by building a platform atop keyboard utility, termed a “conversation media platform.” An innovative concept, akin to platforms created by Snapchat and Instagram (camera utility), TrueCaller (phone book), Glance (lock screens), or Dropbox (file manager), Bobble sees the keyboard as a highly strategic but underutilized real estate.
Dewang Mulani from Zoo Media sees smart keyboard apps as a significant ad retail space due to their frequent use. With users’ thumbs covering substantial distances annually on keyboards, he emphasizes the potential for brands to gather data and deliver relevant ads seamlessly, enhancing the typing experience.
Mitesh Kothari of White Rivers Media notes the limitless scope for marketing in the digital space, citing smart keyboards as a non-intrusive advertising medium. An opportunity for brands to blend stories seamlessly into conversations with AI-powered algorithms, smart keyboards are seen as a way to establish brand value.
Ankit Prasad highlights that the platform generates assets such as data, content sharing, and engagement from millions of users. Bobble plans to monetize these assets through various business models, including direct customer acquisition and collaborations with advertisers across different consumer segments.
Despite the potential, Hima Bulusu from TheSmallBigIdea acknowledges the delicate balance required when using smart keyboards as retail ad space. The intimate nature of personal conversations raises concerns about intrusive ads, necessitating smarter advertising strategies.
Notably, major players like Google’s GBoard and Microsoft’s SwiftKey are also entering the smart keyboard landscape, recognizing its potential for revenue generation. However, privacy concerns loom large, with users wary of data-sharing practices for marketing purposes. The evolving landscape of digital marketing, coupled with privacy considerations, underscores the need for careful navigation in the realm of smart keyboards.
