In an effort to keep a finger in the multi-billion dollar pie of instant messaging, BlackBerry recently released a version of its BBM chat app that is no longer limited to BlackBerry, but will now work on Android and iPhone, as well.
Released on October 21, the BBM chat app caused quite a stir on Twitter and the blogosphere by detractors, but the staggering number of downloads of the app on release day shows that chatters aren’t ready to write BBM chat off just yet. So, what does this development mean for chatters everywhere, and how will recent changes to the app benefit devoted BBM chat users?
BlackBerry has made a number of changes to the BBM chat app that the company hopes will enhance the user experience to the extent that BBM becomes a true contender with other chat and messaging services. Even if they moved on to other chat apps or devices years ago, former BBM chat users will still be able to retrieve their old contacts after installation.
Right-to-left language support has been improved, and users now will have an easier time of sharing their BBM PIN barcodes. BBM chat users will also now be able to find their friends and contacts who use BBM on other social networks, and BlackBerry has taken steps to spare users from the irritation of much griped-about missing BBM contact names. Perhaps best of all, the app now runs much better than earlier versions did, so users can forget about that ultra-irritating spinning hourglass.
Not only are the BBM updates beneficial to individuals, they’re also helpful for business users. It’s one more tool that can be employed by businesses that utilize a bring your own device solution, which BlackBerry Interim CEO John Chen says the company is focusing on. Chen said in a press release that BlackBerry is targeting enterprise mobility management in addition to cross-platform messaging. Rather than using up personal text messages, employees can now communicate through the BBM service.
The Canadian company reported that more than 10 million users downloaded the BBM app in only the first 24 hours after its release, and intomobile reported more than 60,000 five-star reviews on Google Play. To stay in the game, the company also plans to roll out BBM Voice and BBM Video calling for Android and iOS users “in the near future”, according to an article on mobilesyrup.
The fact that BlackBerry has promised that the app will always be free to use is a huge boon. BBM users can also look forward to the release of BBM Channels, which will allow users to broaden their BBM experience to “brands, artists, businesses and communities, you will now be able to connect with individuals and groups in real time.” The article quotes Andrew Bocking, EVP of BBM for BlackBerry, “We continue to plan to evolve the service and keep making it more engaging and have more reasons why people will come back to use the service.”
About the author -
Jennifer Thayer is a technology writer who enjoys writing about gadgets, apps and the latest tech news. Follow her on Twitter.