BBM to arrive soon on Android & iOS

In a twist of events, BB CEO Heins announced that their messaging service, BlackBerry Messenger, will arrive on both iOS & Android soon. BBM will support Android 4.0, iOS 6 and later versions, and most of all – it’ll be free.

The app will be available this summer (on the other side of the globe, that should mean June, July & August – not March, April & May). BBM for Android & iOS will first bring in messaging & groups, while the other features will follow. On the other hand, BlackBerry devices will have the edge of offering the full BBM experience out of the box.

BBM

BlackBerry’s decision can go in two directions. It could pull buyers away from BlackBerry since the company’s killer app is already available on other platforms; however, in a long-term effect, once BBM users from Android & iOS become more engrossed, they will crave for that full experience and eventually board the BlackBerry ship.

That strategy can enter full effect here in the Philippines, since telcos offer great plans & promos for BBM. At some point in the future, avid BBM users from iOS & Android will long for those convenient services – and boom! That could be BlackBerry’s win.

As we reported earlier, there are already 60 million active users in BBM right now. The launch to iOS and Android will certainly help grow this user base. The initial feature will just be BBM but regular updates will include BBM Vieo Calls, Channels, etc. before end of the year.

What do you think of the company’s big step? How will this affect BlackBerry? Will you join the social network while on Android or iOS? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

When will BBM be available on Android and iOS?

BBM will be available this summer, which means June, July, and August.

What are the minimum OS requirements for BBM on Android and iOS?

BBM supports Android 4.0 and iOS 6 and later versions.

What features will BBM have at launch on Android and iOS?

The initial release will include messaging and groups, with other features like BBM Video Calls and Channels arriving later.

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22 Comments

IC DeaDiPoL · 13 years ago

careful as there are a lot of fake bbm apps that recently sprung at the Playstore.

embee01 · 13 years ago

lol wrong move, my hip cool friends who doesn’t care about the specs but the brand of the phone only uses Blackberry for the BBM and now it’s going to be available on iOS and Android.

lol wrong move, my hip cool friends who doesn’t care about the specs but the brand of the phone only uses Blackberry for the BBM annd now it’s going to be available on iOS and Android.

Paolo · 13 years ago

Having used WhatsApp, iMessage, Viber and Blackberry Messenger in action especially for corporate setups, I would just conclude that BBM is the superior platform among them the moment you add secure messaging for groups.

(Disclaimer: I really don’t like my issued Blackberry Bold 9900, keeps rebooting, but BBM is its only saving grace).

Bryan · 13 years ago

THANK GOD!!!!

zarne · 13 years ago

First of all, BBM Apps. will be free to I0s and Android platform users. Since the App is free, it is a win win situation for I0s, Android, and blackberry users. People who are on android and Ios platforms can now try the BBM messaaging system and see if it is as good as any messaging systems. Smart move by Blackberry by making BBM a cross platform App. If BBM is as good as they claim, the 60 million BBM users would increase.This is good news for all mobile users.

tarush · 13 years ago

…and of course, the very secure Apple’s iMessage

Maxxian · 13 years ago

Just a thought from an iOS user, why would I switch to BB just to use the full features of BBM if I can do both facetime/iMessage and BBM in iOS? And I agree with deuts, there are lots of available apps now that can be used by android, iOS and BB.

deuts · 13 years ago

I think it’s too late in the game already. We already have Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat, etc. Plus, Viber has desktop apps.

BBM user · 13 years ago

ya, but all those apps require you to be connected to wifi or 3g in order to be used.. bbm however do not require wifi or 3g, its like sending sms on a regular cellular network.. its always on..