[Cyclism]

A few weeks ago rumours were that RIM will be expanding their BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app past BlackBerry devices and have it available to Android and iOS devices. If and when BBM will be implemented on other platforms it won’t be the full experience that BlackBerry users love but a stripped down version.

http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/03/29/b..._campaign=Feed:+Mobilesyrup+(mobilesyrup.com)

http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/03/03/blackberry-messenger-app-coming-to-android-and-ios/

 

[17671]

i heard this a month ago. the question on everyones mind, do they need a blackberry data plan to use bbm like they need for bb connect, or will it work over a standard internet data plan?

 

[TorontoColin]

Sadly not true:

We knew this story was a hoax when we first saw it, but we reached out to Research In Motion to get an official comment from the company. RIM tells us that rumors that BlackBerry Messenger might launch as an app for Apple’s iPhone on April 26th, is false. “RIM did not hold a conference in Toronto this week, and Jim Balsillie did not speak at any event in Toronto this week.” We’re not saying it isn’t coming at some point in the future, but BlackBerry Messenger is definitely not hitting the App Store on April 26th.

 

[kevsim]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that if BB does goes to other platforms that they will lose even more market share?? BB messenger is one of the best features of BB's and i know people who buy BB just cause there spouses work phone is BB and they message each other on it easily..
If it goes to Iphone and android whats the incentive to buy a BB iof you don't need it for work??

 

[BGY11]

I would definitely agree. Without BBM and BlackBerry Enterprise Server, there isn't a lot of compelling reasons to go with a BlackBerry. The hardware keyboard is nice, but several Android phones have a fairly decent keyboard as well.

 

[recneps77]

As part of the service, they'd probably charge a monthly fee to use BB services.
Why be in the game of selling expensive devices most people don't want anymore? Easier to just offer the service for $x/mo on top of any hardware they choose.

 

[99semaj]

With a plethora of me-too products that are already cross-platform, there is little value left in BBIM. WhatsApp, for example, does everything BBIM does and is already out for iOS, RIM and Android.

 

[TorontoColin]

In my opinion BBM is better than WhatsApp, but more importantly it has a large installed base. By giving basic BBM functionality to users of other platforms, they're betting that those other platform users will be enticed into getting a BlackBerry when their friends are able to do cooler things with their BlackBerry version of BBM.

At the very least they can entrench themselves into the IM position. When your installed base reaches a certain critical mass it is hard for someone else to break into the market.

 

[David Susilo]

oh hell... once BBM moved to iPhone, I might as well go with iPhone. My contract is up very soon anyway!

 

[99semaj]

Re: BBM v WhatsApp, i think the latter gets a slight edge.

On Blackberry, they both leaked memory like a sieve (both fixed now, though), both support push notifications, background operation, video, pictures and text.

The advantage that WhatsApp has is that it can use your address book to find friends and is cross-platform today. That's a big one.

I can't think of a single advantage that BBM has.