Bebo relaunches as cartoon messaging app
Original social media phenomenon Bebo has returned for a second bite at the cherry after relaunchong as a messaging app in a bid to regain its mid-2000’s pomp.
The original platform came from nowhere in 2005 to claim 10m unique users at one point, earning its founders Michael and Xochi Birch a cool $850m when they sold it to AOL in 2008 – shortly before Facebook changed everything.
Now, having bought the rights back for a mere $1m, the couple are seeking to win back users as an Android and iOS messaging app before launching a web version.
In 2005 we made a social network that rocked a generation. In 2008 we sold it. Last year we bought it back. And today...BEBO IS BACK!!!
— Bebo (@Bebo_Official) December 17, 2014
Instead of relying on real-life photographs the new look app allows users to generate their own cartoon avatars whose expressions can be controlled by employing certain hashtags. These can vary in functionality from ‘slapping’ a friend to playing a game or sending a song – and more will be added over time.
Speaking to MailOnline Bebo CEO Shaan Puri, said: “A lot of casual conversation is about banter - so we came up with the idea based around that.”
Reminiscing about the old site Puri added: “It was a place to have fun with friends, and we hope those same things will carry on. This has got to be more fun - it's not about using us over twitter, we think people will use both for different sets of people.
'But with your best mates, we hope you'll be on Bebo.”