BBM Coming To iOS and Android

grub writes writes with news that BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins has announced that BBM (BlackBerry Messenger, one of the favorite features of BlackBerry device-owners) will soon be coming to rival mobile operating systems. Devices running iOS 6 and Android ICS or later will be supported, pending approval with the App Store and Google Play. "BBM uses carrier data networks to pass secure messages back and forth through its servers to other BlackBerry users. The service recently gained the ability to make phone calls, conduct video chats and even share screen tops with other BBM users (requires BlackBerry 10). Normal chat and group chats will be the first features to hit the Android and iOS BBM apps, followed by the others (including voice and video) during the course of the year. BBM for Android and iOS will be free." The company also unveiled a new smartphone today: the Q5. It's a budget device intended for emerging markets.

Comments

Re:So?

[coinreturn]

No, it's supposed to make you say, "Thank goodness, now I don't have to buy a Blackberry, but I can still chat with the people stuck with them."

It was inevitable ...

[perpenso]

It was inevitable, BBM was too important to fade away with the handset business. I wonder if this had anything to do with approving iOS and Android for use by certain governmental agencies (DoD, etc).

Re:It was inevitable ...

[gstoddart]

It was inevitable, BBM was too important to fade away with the handset business

So, I'll admit my ignorance up front before I ask ... why was it too important?

It's basically a proprietary version of SMS isn't it? And as I recall they've bent over for the Indian government and probably others to allow a MITM-type interception, and have probably done it for others now that they've set the precedent.

So, what benefit is there to me as someone with an Android phone to be able to use BBM? Does it actually get me something extra that I don't have now?

This seems more like a desperate attempt to make one of their few distinguishing features available to others, but I'm just not sure of what the benefit of that feature is for most people.

Excellent!

[Radagast]

Now I can use this supremely user-friendly chat system that assigns me a random 8-digit hex string as an ID on my iPhone!

Re:Excellent!

[alen]

its retro dude, like the old ICQ user numbers.

Re:One word: encryption

[gstoddart]

One word: encryption

Oooh, encryption, encryption which they'll open up for governments to look at upon demand. I would feel absolutely confident in using encryption which can be bypassed like it wasn't there.

I mean, if it's encrypted it must be secure and good, right?

No, because since they can (and do) bypass it, their encryption is utterly useless. They've already demonstrated they can and will obviate your encryption.

So, I ask again, why is BBM so important? Because your argument for encryption is garbage when they can step around that.

Re:So?

[AuMatar]

First off, BB was never the king- Symbian was. It always crushed BB worldwide.

Secondly, do you know how ridiculous you sound claiming that 1 billion people jump on anything in a heartbeat? These numbers don't grow fast, it took years to grow when smartphones had a huge advantage in features vs the competition (feature phones) and are only just now overtaking them in total. Moving those numbers when comparing apples to apples between smartphones is nearly impossible- Android only overtook Apple by creating a low end market.

Secondly, it was totally to do with features. BB was a powerful company that rested on their laurels. They didn't try to drive to the mass market, they were happy with the business market. When they got piledriven by Apple and Android they didn't react quickly. People wanted a great web browser, apps, a responsive touch screen UI, etc. BB took a long time to deliver, and arguably still doesn't. They tried dumb ideas like a tablet that needed to be connected to a BB phone to work. And it didn't even have email when it released!

They have enough cash that a resurrection is possible, they aren't going to dissolve in the next year or so. But for that to happen upper management needs to realize that the market has passed them up and that they need to respond. I've seen no recognition of that from them. And as time goes on it will be harder and harder to catch up, as they'll be so far behind in app ecosystems that they'll be unable to capture new consumers.

So yeah, BB is a joke.