When I am reading about BP Next or viewing this video, I get the feeling that this "move" has something to do with Wunderkit launch http://www.wunderkit.com/. Be it the timing, be it the coloured backgrounds on the video, etc. I don't know exactly why, but I get the feeling.
And I am saying this, despite being a huge fan of 37s, their products and their philosophy (as demonstrated in their books and SvN). I have read everything they have written and I am a paying customer.
I also feel, however, that BP Next would be one more great product from 37s.
I'm sure they respect all the competition, but I don't get why they would feel specially threatened by Wunderkit. I've tried it and it's feels so cluttered compared to 37signals products.
Seems more like this iteration has been going forever, and they're just ready to launch.
But strategically wise, I can see a threat from Wunderkit to Basecamp. Wunderkit is trying to bring a BP-style project management product (evolved) to a mass-market. It is not going for the geeks, designers, etc that BP has mostly as its clients. It is going for the mass and thus a recent article has mentioned them as "a Facebook for the workplace". After all, their first product (Wunderlist) has 1.5M users and reached 1M users in 275 days(!). Finally, a previous comment in HN frames 37s move in a nice way:
"This is very Apple. If somebody is going to cannibalize our market anyway, we prefer to do it ourselves." (by armandososa) https://qht.co/item?id=3506546
And I am saying this, despite being a huge fan of 37s, their products and their philosophy (as demonstrated in their books and SvN). I have read everything they have written and I am a paying customer.
I also feel, however, that BP Next would be one more great product from 37s.