Salesforce releases Chatter mobile CRM integration for iOS and Android

Salesforce has refreshed the mobile edition of it Chatter business collaboration platform, with a new application for Android and updates to its iOS application.

The iOS and Android applications will offer Chatter users more integration with customer relationship management (CRM) data, so they can edit customer accounts and cases stored within Salesforce while on-the-go.

"The new Salesforce Chatter delivers the next generation of social and mobile CRM to customer companies, transforming the way they connect with their customers in entirely new ways," said Nasi Jazayeri, Salesforce Chatter general manager.

Additionally a new ‘publisher' feature will allow Chatter users to edit files, photos, polls, and tasks shared with colleagues from their iOS and Android devices.

The mobile apps are available now and will be free to all Salesforce customers.

Chatter, first released in 2010, competes with the likes of Microsoft's Yammer, Jive and Movie Software in the enterprise social networking space.

Chatter gives employees access real-time information about what is happening in their company, and encourages them to share status updates, comments, documents and photos.

In September 2010 Salesforce released its first mobile Chatter apps for the iOS and BlackBerry devices, which allowed employees to create a Facebook-style profile page and collaborate with colleagues while on the move. 

The latest mobile updates have been a long time coming, and Salesforce appears to have chosen not to update its BlackBerry mobile app.

Meanwhile the firm has shown no signs of helping Chatter users embrace Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8 devices, with nothing developed for the platforms.

"We offer customers Salesforce Touch for touch screen enabled devices," said Xabier Ormazabal, Salesforce head of UK Marketing, speaking to V3. He added the firm has no plans to announce a Chatter app specifically for Windows or Blackberry devices anytime soon.