BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) is finally being let out for iOS and Android again. This comes after the embarrassing hiccup we saw in September when the Android version of the app was released accidentally and BlackBerry had to pull it from the Google Play Store.
The slipup also forced the company to delay the launch of the communications tool for iOS and Android indefinitely. And we’re talking about a brand that is already struggling to stay relevant in this age of smartphones that work on Apple’s and Google’s mobile OS.
One less reason to buy a BlackBerry phone?
Believe it or not, but the number one answer to ‘Why did you buy a BlackBerry device?’ is ‘Because of BBM.’ At least, that’s what our survey of users in India certifies without a doubt. BBM is strongly associated with the idea of a secure messaging platform. Even SEBI has a problem with this security that it guarantees, we kid you not.
Newer applications like WhatsApp and Line are elbowing it out of center stage for sure. But user faith in BBM continues to be high or maybe old habits die hard. The fact that 1.1 million people scrambled to download the app within just 8 hours of its inadvertent release should offer some proof of popularity. So now that BBM is going cross-platform, it won’t be a convincing reason to buy a BlackBerry phone, right?
You can download BBM for Android from here and the same for iOS by hitting this link. Some of the app’s most handy aspects cover:
– Find out when your messages have been delivered and read with the D and R updates
– Unlike in WhatsApp, no one can message you without your permission
– Strangers or ‘frenemies’ won’t be able to contact you just because they have your number
For those of you who prefer WhatsApp or any similar messenger service to BBM, feel free to sound off in the comments section below.