BBM is no longer just limited to sharing multimedia or keeping in touch with friends and users can now expect to do much more with this new development. That’s because RIM has announced plans to introduce the BBM mobile gifting platform for carriers which will enable a BlackBerry subscriber to easily pay for airtime, apps and other services used by another Blackberry subscriber.
The BBM mobile gifting platform combines the BlackBerry App World and carrier billing system. It enables subscribers to directly and conveniently handle approvals and gifting requests through BBM. Moreover, with all the involved transactions promised as legitimate and secure. This platform is said to bolster mobile commerce and allow various carriers to offer different value added services to their clientele.
“RIM is committed to aligning with carrier business models to deliver innovative and relevant mobile commerce solutions,” commented Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO, RIM. “There will be many usage scenarios and circumstances that can be accommodated through the BBM mobile gifting platform around the world, but the easiest for many people to readily envision and appreciate is the simplified act of a parent approving their child’s request for additional airtime minutes or an app purchase with a single click using BBM.”
Using the upcoming platform service, Blackberry users will be able to gift or purchase airtime, many apps and other carrier-based services and pay the charges incurred through their current prepaid or postpaid accounts. Alternately, payment for purchases can also be made using several other modes.
There is no official confirmation on when RIM will actually roll out the BBM mobile gifting service.