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BlackBerry Messenger Coming to iOS and Android?

Thursday March 3, 2011 8:25 am PST by Eric Slivka

BGR reports that Research in Motion is planning to bring its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) system to the iOS and Android platforms, expanding the instant messaging system that has been a key feature of the BlackBerry operating system for many years.

According to our sources, RIM has not yet finalized details surrounding timing or pricing, but we have heard that the company might make the software free to all users. We're also told strategy is still being developed, however, and RIM may end up charging users a one-time fee or even a recurring fee for access to its BBM service on third-party platforms.

According to the report, Research in Motion would likely offer a "stripped down" version of BBM to iOS and Android users, allowing them to share text but not photos, locations, and other data included on the BlackBerry version. The company is also reportedly targeting a launch on Android first, with iOS coming a bit further down the road.
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turbobass
Posted: 14 months ago

okay let me get this straight blackberry dosnt want ios and androids to have bbm but ios lets blackberry have almost all of our apps such as whatsapp, Kik, Live Profile ect...

:) Agree or Disagree :(

You mean one company doesn't want to give their proprietary software which runs on their proprietary network away and another company can't control what other platform 3rd parties run their apps on? I don't see the question there ;)
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
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bigjnyc
Posted: 14 months ago

okay let me get this straight blackberry dosnt want ios and androids to have bbm but ios lets blackberry have almost all of our apps such as whatsapp, Kik, Live Profile ect...

:) Agree or Disagree :(


Those apps dont belong to Apple, they belong to third party developers who submit them to the App store, and to the android market, and who ever else they want to.

You won't see Apple give iMovie to Blackberry or Android users

Agree or Disagree :)
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
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toromac
Posted: 16 months ago
They're doing this b/c whatsapp essentially offers the same service... and it works on BB, android, nokia and iOS. There is no reason that BB should not open up BBM to everyone. They need to do something to make their phones desirable, because they are quickly becoming a forgotten company in danger of becoming obsolete.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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roadbloc
Posted: 16 months ago
One more reason why not to get a BlackBerry.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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hfletcher
Posted: 16 months ago
A lot of people I know have blackberry's, and one of the big reasons they don't want to switch to an iPhone is because they use BBM so often. I know you can get whatsapp and stuff, but BBM is already on every single blackberry. I would love to see BBM on an iOS device, even if you had to pay for the app.

Not sure if apple's app policy would allow it though?
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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AHDuke99
Posted: 16 months ago
I sounder how they'll work it? Will they assi PINs to iPhones as well? I'm sure apple will allow it if they allow Kik and whatsapp. No reason why they wouldn't.
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iMrNiceGuy0023
Posted: 16 months ago
im sure BlacBerry will charge for this, how else will they benefit??

I think BlackBerry will lose sale, most people I know keep their blackberry because of BBM
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BornAgainMac
Posted: 16 months ago
If they slap a really terrible interface to it then it will be just like having a Blackberry. Cool.
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kyjaotkb
Posted: 16 months ago
well, at least where I live (France), texts are free and unlimited in 90% of all calling plans and prepaid offers... so you can basically communicate in real time even when you're out of data coverage, even with dumbphones... and when you have data coverage you can send unlimited mms to smart-and feature phones... So I don't really see what's big and new with BBM.
Apart from that, there are already plenty of Gtalk/MSN apps for each and every platforms, allowing you to instantly chat with people on their phones / computers...
am I missing something ?
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kuebby
Posted: 16 months ago

If they slap a really terrible interface to it then it will be just like having a Blackberry. Cool.


That mad me laugh, probably because it's true.

I would probably pay a small (read: sub $5) one-time fee for BBM but there's no way I'd pay any kind of recurring fee, even $5/month. I already pay for unlimited texting so it's really just a luxury.
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