News BBM Finally Coming To Android And iOS This Weekend

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The long rumored BlackBerry Messenger ( BBM ) is finally coming to Android and iOS devices on September 21st, BlackBerry has announced.



The popular BBM messaging service was exclusive to BlackBerry smartphone users till now, but with stiff competition from other similar services like WhatsApp, BlackBerry has decided to bring it to other platforms to expand its user base.

Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry said in a press release:
“BBM is a very engaging messaging service that is simple to use, easy to personalize and has an immediacy that is necessary for mobile communications. With more than a billion Android, iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones in the market, and no dominant mobile instant messaging platform, this is absolutely the right time to bring BBM to Android and iPhone customers.”​

BBM for Android and iPhone features:



    • BBM Chat – Enjoy real, immediate conversations with friends on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Not only does BBM let you know that your message has been delivered and read, it also shows you that your friend is responding to the message.

More than chat – With BBM you can share files on your phone such as photos and voice notes, all in an instant.


  • Keep your group in the loop – Multi-person chats are a great way to invite contacts to chat together. BBM Groups lets you invite up to 30 friends to chat together, and go a step further than multi-chat by sharing photos and schedules. And, with Broadcast Message, you can send a message out to all your BBM contacts at once.
  • Post Updates and stay in the know – BBM lets you post a personal message, profile picture and your current status, and lets your contacts know instantly in Updates.
  • Your unique PIN – Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains your privacy, so you don’t have to give out your phone number or email address to a new or casual contact.

Availability


BBM will be available as a free download for Android smartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean (Android 4.x) beginning at 7AM EDT on September 21. BBM for iPhones running iOS 6 and iOS 7 will become available for each market on the App Store schedule of 12:01 AM local time on September 22. For more information, or to download BBM for Android or iPhone, visit www.BBM.com.
 
Good for people who have their friends and associates on blackberry. But I don't see this making any dent to the whatsapp market. Unless people decide not to pay 1$ per year for whatsapp if and when it becomes chargeable.
 
Way too late, and again given the company is Blackberry, they might well fail the Sep 21 launch date for BBM.
 
BB users with BBM only plans would be happy as it will be cheaper for them compared to getting full BIS service for using whatsapp.
 
There is still a place for BBM in the market in my opinion. Lot of people (especially in African nations and countries like India too) still are on BlackBerry. Also, if you ask me personally, I wouldn't mind using BBM since it gives me the freedom to create "interest groups" or join them without the fear of my mobile number being misused. Case in point is a thread here on TE for WhatsApp group where people have to share their mobile numbers with strangers. Not a very big deal perhaps, but still a case in point for BBM.
 
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Agreed with pat.
Whatsapp has lack of basic security features. Giving out your pin is way more secure than giving out your phone number.
Message delivered and read is another unique feature of bbm unlike whatsapp's 2 tick where often people has misconception about it.
In a few months bbm voice and video will be available too for android and iPhone.

Now there are many users who are not techie(read our parents age) who finds it whatsapps setup is quite simple and easy to setup. They might feel bbm setup and finding pin will be cumbersome.
All things will be clear out in next 24 hours. ;)
 
Uninstalled, couldn't understand why they need to have that annoying persistent notification icon!

It's more than 12 hours since it was supposed to be officially available but it has not been released.

Here is the apk of someone wants to install it.

https://db.tt/CufzSHnD
 
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^ is it live? This news tells n/a yet: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/blackberry-messenger-app-for-android-not-yet-available/1/311032.html
 
Though BBM for iOS & Android versions lack Voice calling...these versions have free access (with 2G, 3G, WiFi connections) to BBM servers for text based chatting, sharing links n facility to send files. Whereas, those who have got BB phones have to shell out 129/150 rupees per month to use BBM..!! This is not fair man. Friends, don't you think BB should make BBM a free service to Blackberry owners? I think BB should allow BB owners to use BBM on their phones using 2G/3G/WiFi...no need to impose special BBM monthly plans on poor BB owners.
 
bottle said:
You don't need to subscribe to any plan on BB10 OS phones
Click to expand...

I didn't know that. Thanks...but what about BB's running on OS 7..? Poor owners![DOUBLEPOST=1379831594][/DOUBLEPOST]
Roxtin said:
BB users with BBM only plans would be happy as it will be cheaper for them compared to getting full BIS service for using whatsapp.
Click to expand...

To use whatsapp & the inbuilt BB browser...BIS is NOT required...any 2G/3G data pack or WiFi does the job. However, BIS is only required to use Blackberry App World, BB Protect, BBM, emails & other BB services.
 
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