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Messaging app Kik makes its triumphant return to BlackBerry

By Michelle Haag on 12 Oct 2011 05:34 pm
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It's been a rough week for BlackBerry lovers, with BIS outages being reported from all corners of the world. It's so bad, I've heard talk of people resorting to - gulp - texting, to get their messages across. What better time for Kik to announce that it has officially relaunched for BlackBerry, after being yanked by RIM last year? That's right folks, Kik is back, and available for download from the link below. Rebuilt from the ground up using java, Kik runs fast, looks good, and best of all you can use it to communicate with your contacts on iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7. Full press release after the break.

Download Kik for BlackBerry

 

World’s Fastest Cross-Platform Messenger App Kik Makes its Return to Blackberry Platform

Kik Messenger now lets users text for free across iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7


WATERLOO, Ontario – (October 12, 2011) – Kik Interactive, creators of the cross-platform mobile messaging application Kik Messenger, today announces the launch of Kik version 5.2 for Java Platform Micro Edition capable mobile phones including Research in Motion’s BlackBerry OS, exclusively available for download at www.kik.com/bb. Kik has built a reputation for being the fastest and most reliable messaging app on Apple iOS and Google Android, and now the same great experience is available for BlackBerrys and dozens of feature phones.

Kik Messenger, which already has millions of users, now offers free text communication between all three of the top smartphone platforms, over 87% of the US Smartphone market. When originally launched just over a year ago, Kik Messenger reached 1 million downloads in 15 days by connecting users across smartphone platforms with a more engaging text messaging experience than SMS or other competitors could provide.

The new app was designed from the ground up without using the normal developer tools and kits in an effort to streamline the app and provide the very best user experience. Because Kik built the entire app from scratch, the company was able to implement features such as popup notifications and a beautiful, smooth UI that aren’t native to many phones that run Java ME apps.

Fast and Face-to-Face Text

Kik Messenger outperforms competitors by making text-messaging feel like a face-to-face conversation with the fastest messaging experience in the market. Users are given visual cues when texts are sent, delivered to the recipient and when the recipient reads the text.  Users can also see when a person is typing a response in real-time, making the texting experience more responsive and rich.


Download Kik for Blackberry here
Download Kik for Android here
Download Kik for iOS here
Download Kik for WP7 here

Topics: News & Rumors BlackBerry Apps

WIND Mobile preparing to release the BlackBerry Bold 9900, 9790 and Torch 9810 soon Previous
BlackBerry Service Update - Letter from Robin Bienfait Chief Information Officer, RIMNext
Michelle Haag Michelle Haag 1148 (articles) 1629 (forum posts)
42 comments

TheStoof

What I don't like about Kik for the Blackberry is that every time you reboot the phone, you must accept the signature requests over and over again. Also, the app will not automatically start because of this.

At any rate, Blackberry has been nice to me. I'll be using BBM on Playbook as soon as they release it :). However, no more BB for me. Any words on Kik for Playbook?

Oneshortsleeve

8 months ago an announcement like this would result in 400 comments within the first hour. It is sad. Although i moved to android, i miss the buzz that use to be in the crackberry community.

Maybe folks are just having a hard time opening crackberry because of the outage: )

KiDPaul

My guess as to why that is, is because people are now just waiting on news on the new QNX phone. I know myself that the only reason that I've been on this forum for the past few days is to get a sneak peek at the QNX phone as soon as crackberry.com gets one. Though I fully agree with your sentiment, I too miss the buzz this place used to have.

johuntbb

it may not be a good time to ask this: does kik support PUSH? if not, it could easily kill the battery

TomCanuck

Last time I tried KiK it didn't even integrate into ringer profiles lol. Lame

pmccartney

still doesn't...at least the recent beta I load doesn't

Guatiao

I haven't been able to download Kik for almost a week since their private mail announcement, getting a 907 invalid JAR error message. Dang...

pmccartney

My neighbour resigned from RIM a few weeks ago (he worked there about 12 years) to begin a new career with Kik. He says they rewrote the entire kik messenger platform to Java and it will get much better very quickly. He also added that Kik has many more very interesting things in the pipelne but he wouldn't elaborate.
I have been 'testing' it with him but he knows I still think BBM is better, which it is and he agrees. It's still a very good cross platform alternative.

Plazmic Flame

Sorry but your neighbour isn't smart or has a ton of money saved up that he can just waste time like that. Why would he leave RIM to work with some company on something HE DOESN'T believe in??!

pmccartney

Who said he doesn't believe in it. I said he agreed with me that BBM is still better (he's not in denial). Kik will get better, than it currently is, in time.
God, why are so many people always looking for the negative spin on things these days. We all need to lighten up a little.

adamschuetze

Failure to integrate into profiles is a very bad thing.

pmccartney

They can't. It has something to do with not having access to the BBOS API. That's what got them in a little trouble the first time around. That's all I know about it and it's why they went the Java route this time.

Marc_Paradise

They can, we (devs) all have access to the integration apis. But using those APIs requires a signing key from RIM. While these are free I guess Kik has its reasons. Unfortunately choosing not to integrate into bbos makes this of limited use, whatever the reason.

pmccartney

My friend at Kik (who was with RIM 12 years) says they can't and it's likely because RIM won't permit them API access for a messenger app striving to be the same as BBM. Makes sense to me. For other types of apps, of course RIM will allow API access when/where required.

djghettoredneck

there are plenty other apps that perform in a BBM manner.

pmccartney

Are these 100% free apps, for a BlackBerry, have instant notification of delivery status and typing a message, can send pics, video, voice notes. All things Kik will incorporate. Which 'plenty of other apps' do these thing on a blackberry?

Xopher

They had their keys revoked, so they can't sign apps anymore. Hopefully the rewrite will help with getting their signing keys back. It's the reason everyone sees the permission requests from the app (unsigned).

Snipperdo17

Useless for me..2 out of 350 people in my contacts actually use it

phillieburne

my username is philburne add me i have nobody on kik lol

jefo13

Why bother with Kik when what'sapp has filled that gap for a while now...

KiDPaul

What'sapp is a horrible cross platform messaging system. It always has updates and when you have it open, the bastard drains the battery so quick.

Mike_Luchia

Is it compatable with the Storm 2 now? Last time I tried to download it my Storm 2 couldn't get it.

crazy canuck

The cross platform instant messaging ship sailed a long time ago. Kik missed the boat....too bad.
When Facebook gets their beluga cross platform messaging integrated it is all over. Everyone will just use Facebook chat.

zensen

cute, you're being serious too. haha

djghettoredneck

not everyone uses facebook.

backpass

I'm unable to install kik. Kept getting Download faild, 907 invalid JAR message. Anyone experience similar problem?

jlb21

I loaded it to talk to one person.... :(

SWORNxIN

I loaded it, tried to talk some people with iPhones into getting it. Didn't happen. Everyone is using WhatsApp. The only person using Kik also has BBM. Time to delete.

zensen

Is the only way to shut the app is to restart the phone because its annoying that its always on.

FrankCM

Tried... and deleted after 5 minutes...
Yes, it's grest looking compared to the ugly whatsapp... but it's too battery and cpu thirsty on my Bold 9000...

djghettoredneck

I say there is something to be said about a developer that sticks with an OS after being sued by the platform. I say thank you for sticking it out and bringing back a good cross platform app for BlackBerry. Needs some work still but it's getting there.

efd2051

Has good potential. My friends use different smartphones, so no one I know uses any platform specific apps (BBM, facetime etc are too limiting)

Fabien Barel

sad that it doesn't support strom devices...Still using WhatsApp

kazmi

still causes a HUGE battery drain....out this goes - stickin with whatsapp for now....

InfinitiGuy

Tried it on my 9900 and it wouldn't run. Said the app was denied access to my media or something. I didn't bother with it and deleted it within 2 minutes.

Hibbylinx81

The last time I tried to download and install this my phone crashed! BlackBerry Messenger does the job for me cause I really don't hav many Xplatform contacts! But when that bridge comes I'll assess the best option for crossing xplatform messaging! Good idea nonetheless!

0obaho0

no groups??? pfffffffffffft

no thanks

Xopher

I use Kik on my Android phone and it works rather well. It makes it easy to chat with other Android and iPhone users. I'm glad to see the BlackBerry version back.

I think that with all the other chat apps out there that are signed (no permissions popups), Kik has a ways to grow in coming back to BlackBerry.