BlackBerry Messenger to be available on Android, Apple's iOS

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BlackBerry Messenger app is set to be available on Android and Apple's iOS, according to reports. The instant messenger service, BBM, which is one of the most popular tools on the phone, has only been available exclusively on the BlackBerry platform until now. According to Boy Genius Report, a technology blog, Research In Motion, BlackBerry's parent company, has been in talks with Apple and Google about making the software available to users across all three platforms. But the pricing or timing details are yet to be finalised, and BGR has cited "multiple trusted sources" as its backup. "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," the Telegraph quoted the report as saying. "As far as what Android and iOS users can look forward to, we've been told RIM will offer stripped down versions of the BBM experience BlackBerry owners know and love. "That way, Android and iOS users can communicate with practically anyone who has a smartphone using BBM, but they might not be able to share photos, location, or videos. "Users who want the full BlackBerry Messenger experience will still need a BlackBerry smartphone to get it," it stated. Michael Gartenberg, research director for analysts Gartner, said that it was hard to see how RIM would benefit from giving away one of BlackBerry's key selling points to users of other platforms. "It doesn't sound like a good thing for RIM unless there's a larger story here that's not being told," he said. He said that BBM was a core part of the BlackBerry experience and would be difficult to separate out. "It's not something you could just create an app for. It will be interesting to see if it would make it through Apple's approval process," he added.

BlackBerry Messenger app is set to be
available on Android and Apple's iOS, according
to reports.

The instant messenger service, BBM, which is one
of the most popular tools on the phone, has only
been available exclusively on the BlackBerry
platform until now. According to Boy Genius Report, a technology
blog, Research In Motion, BlackBerry's parent
company, has been in talks with Apple and
Google about making the software available to
users across all three platforms. But the pricing or timing details are yet to be
finalised, and BGR has cited "multiple trusted
sources" as its backup. "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," the
Telegraph quoted the report as saying. "As far as what Android and iOS users can look
forward to, we've been told RIM will offer
stripped down versions of the BBM experience
BlackBerry owners know and love. "That way, Android and iOS users can
communicate with practically anyone who has a
smartphone using BBM, but they might not be
able to share photos, location, or videos. "Users who want the full BlackBerry Messenger
experience will still need a BlackBerry
smartphone to get it," it stated. Michael Gartenberg, research director for analysts
Gartner, said that it was hard to see how RIM
would benefit from giving away one of
BlackBerry's key selling points to users of other
platforms. "It doesn't sound like a good thing for RIM unless
there's a larger story here that's not being told,"
he said. He said that BBM was a core part of the
BlackBerry experience and would be difficult to
separate out. "It's not something you could just create an app
for. It will be interesting to see if it would make it
through Apple's approval process," he added.