Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins just confirmed that BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) will launch for iOS and Android later this summer. It will be free and allows all users to connect to one another, but it will be the most robust on BlackBerry 10. It requires iOS 6 and Android Ice Cream Sandwich or newer. It supports messaging and group chat, but BBM Voice, Screen Share, Video and Channels will roll out later.
“It is a state of confidence,” Heins explained. “The BB10 platform is so strong and the response has been so good that the time is right for BBM to become an independent mobile messaging platform.”
The app will be free on both Android and iOS. Much like other messaging apps, it will be a standalone application.
Initially, only messaging and group features will be available. But Heins promised that the rest of BBM will eventually make its way to the Android and iOS versions including screen sharing, BBM voice and the just-announced BBM channels.
“We are making the BBM platform more powerful than ever”, Heins proudly stated. And with this very uncharacteristic move from BlackBerry, it’s hard to argue against his statement.
It’s clear BlackBerry is finally waking up. They are no longer the big dog in the mobile war. If they are to survive, the company needs to forge new relationships and learn to work well with the two reigning platforms. This move to put BBM on Android and iOS is a big step forward. BlackBerry might actually have a chance.
Parenting is never an easy task. Ask any parent today about the biggest challenge, and…
In the last decade, purchasing and accessing products and services have undergone a radical transformation.…
In an exceptional achievement, Mumbai-based high school robotics team Sigma 9692 has won the prestigious…
The Indian gaming industry is sitting on an industry explosion in the near future as…
In today's fast-paced business world, when employee fulfillment and efficiency are crucial, technology has become…
The Tech Panda takes a look at how India has been attracting foreign businesses from…