On this mornings BlackBerry earnings call, CEO John Chen dropped word that BBM for Windows Phone will be arriving in July. We already knew that is was coming, but now we know for sure that in just a few weeks Windows Phone users will be able to get in on the BBM action as well.
After the launch, BBM will be available on BlackBerry, iOS, Android and Windows Phone — making it a true cross-platform mobile messaging service. No details on just what the WP version will have in store, though it's safe to assume it will have features along the lines of the iPhone and Android versions at launch.
Reader comments
BBM arriving on Windows Phone in July
hey it could be tomorrow!
Yeah... arrving in July... this is BlackBerry we're talking about, so it will be here July 31st. Might as well call it August.
Nice, I can Finally Use BBM from my HTC 8S WP 8.1 \(^o^)/
Posted via CB10
I'd prefer to see BBM on the desktop before Windows phone. Reward the loyalists?
Great step indeed. BBM4ALL seems to be moving on on. I will still have that little part of me that disregards the notion of BBM4ALL because my faithful Playbook was ignored for standalone BBM
If has to come... come faster. I'd like to run out of whatsapp as soon as possible.
Posted via CB10
Nice! Good news!
Posted via CB10
So BlackBerry shows up at the party just in time to do the dishes.
Um yeah multiplatform... except Windows and Linux and Mac OS X and Web and Chrome and even more than one BlackBerry at a time.
BlackBerry seems unlikely to have the resources and/or will to do most of those... I wonder if they've considered opening the protocol but charging people with non-BlackBerry clients some monthy fee for using their servers that's slightly above however much they think they can monitize their client. As a 3rd party client would be unlikely to implement ads. This would also prevent spambots - run a spambot? Look, your credit card get charged $XXX per the contract before your account is terminated!
Posted via CB10
july 31
Great news for BlackBerry and BBM!
OS 10.2.1.2122/STL 100-4/Verizon Z10
Will it have the option of voice calls or just simple chat?
Since it is on Windows Phone, will we be about to use it on our Windows Desktop?
Posted via CB10
Windows Phone has about a 3% market share, this is important? A Windows desktop version for BBM would be something to get excited about IMO. The biggest drawback of Whatsapp for me is that I can't continue a conversation on my computer when I am near it, like I can with Facebook chat.r
Nothing but more great news! Go Chen Go !!!!
Posted via CB10
Okay, now that bbm is truly cross platform.....we need video chat released!
I'm the only one in my circle with a blackberry, everybody else have iphones. I convinced them to get bbm but I need the wow of video chat to wean them off of facetime.
Posted via CB10
Great news, can't wait to get the rest of my wp friends on bbm
Posted via CB10
Hey CrackBerry Crew, after seeing that picture, what else do you guys know that you haven't told us ? ;)
Great news - now BBM for all will finally make sense.
Z10 STL100-2 10.2.1.3175 EE UK
More the better
Vtecberry Z10
nice move!
Posted via CB10
Will it also work as a windows 8 app at that time? I thought all apps for Windows 8 and windows phone worked on either platform which was supposed to be an advantage.
Posted via CB10
That can happen but only if it's a Universal App, the interface has to be changed for each version but 99% of the code can be reused.
Excellent news.
From my phone
BlackBerry should have a$$ it like MS has done for Skype and BB10.
and just how does that help BlackBerry?
Will it be Windows Phone 7 as well as 8?
Posted via CB10
I doubt it seeing as WP8 is the current platform, I don't see BB supporting a defunct platform like WP7.
I think it will be only for WP 8 platform
Posted from my Z10 via CB10
Is that XL rooted with Nova launcher running on it?
The Nokia stock launcher looks horrible!
Yes, a desktop version would be great. And video on all platforms. Together with the BBM Protected security features, BBM has a real shot at dominating enterprise messaging, a potentially extremely valuable market for which there are no other serious contenders.
Posted via CB10
About time!
It would be nice if it launched with bbm video. Still waiting for that to go cross platform. Either way, this is great news for BlackBerry. Keep going forward.
Next BBM update....BBM Peek
Wouldn't it be something if it launched with Video?
Thought the same. Give'em the full blast in one go...
"No Q10?" -> "Buy from Chen... "
Interesting convergence these past few days, with BB partnering with Amazon on apps and Windows on BBM and at a time when Amazon is trying to jump in the handset market in a big way. What I get from all this is a sense of BB as a proud company (that never went away) but a confident and w assured one under Chen.
BlackBerry however still need to improve performance of BBM on ios and android. My friends on these platforms keep complaining of something of the other not working.
And also launch some free stickers :D, lot of children will be happy.
Posted via CB10 on my Z30
Lumia is my travel phone thanks to offline Here maps, so this is good news. However I'd rather see Here maps on Blackberry and use one phone.
Posted via CB10
I agree totally!!!!
With CB10 with lovely Z10STL100-1/10.2.1.3175
Look at nav free app. I can't remember if it's on Google play or BlackBerry World, but it's offline maps and works great on my Z10.
Posted via CB10
Nice
Posted via CB10
Good. Ideally available on other windows 10 devices like laptops.
Posted via CB10
Good job blackberry
Posted via CB10
Pure desktop version without any pairing to smartphone will be great.
Definitely need to see a desktop version come out soon as well. That would be huge. I would love to see the desktop version launch simultaneously with cross platform video chat. That would really boost the adoption.
I still think BBM users on other platforms should have more of a taste of the BB10 experience by having the option of using the BB10 virtual keyboard while in BBM. Fans of the typing experience would be willing to at least check out a BB10 device in stores.
Posted via CB10
Agreed. The keyboard just for BBM would be a big taste of BB10.
Posted via CB10
I don't believe Apple allows this kind of thing.
Posted via CB10
Apple did not allow the action menu, and yet it is there in BBM for iOS.
The question is not about what Apple or Android allow, it is about how easy it is for BlackBerry to bundle the BB10 keyboard into BBM without the entire OS.
Second question if they achieve that, is how good the keyboard will be if it does not have the autocorrect and predictive text. I know the answer because I daily use the keyboard in an Android app (Clash of Clans) and the answer is that the keyboard offers a very poor experience without autocorrect.
Third question, if it is possible to put the BB10 OS in BBM with autocorrect and predictive, it means to also bring all languages. Will people agree to download a 200MB update just for BBM?
Posted via CB10
Looking forward to this!
Posted via CB10
Desktop version soon?
Posted via CB10
If it is written for native windows mobile OS, does that mean we are closer to seeing a windows PC/ desktop version?
Posted via CB10
Yes and No, If it's written for WP, it's more likely that a Windows version would be a windows store app
And THIS puts the icing on the cake this morning!!!! I can get a Lumia and put BBM on it!!! Good times!
Posted from my awesome Q10 via CB10.
Lumia 1520!
YESSSSSSSSS.....SSSSSSSS LUMIA !%@) (1520). A monster of a phone...proud owner...I do miss my 9900 tho :(. Physical keyboard of LIFE.
Makes sense.
Posted via CB10
I can give you the exact date... July 31st because BlackBerry is ALWAYS late
Posted via CB10
They might surprise us and release it July 30th ;)
July 31st at 23:59 in China/
Give them some credit. Most of us thought they meant near the end of September when they first said it was launching this summer. BlackBerry is actually delivering ahead of expectations.
Posted via CB10
Aren't people like you dead already?
Posted via CB10
Ding, ding, ding! You win my-favorite-comeback-comment-of-the-day award.
That's not a fair statement since Chen has taken over.
And either way, if they released it on July 31st, they would still be on time with the time frame Chen gave today.
So stop being a stick in the mud.
Great News!
Posted via CB10
This is definitely great news. BBM to the world. . . .
Posted via CB10 from my awesome Z10STL100-1/10.2.1.1925
This is a good thing.
Posted via CB10
Good, but they need to fix it for BlackBerry after the last updated caused problems
Posted via CB10
Agreed. In a sense, I look forward to the time when BBM has got most of its pieces in place and we won't get so many updates, and the bugs that come with them.
Posted via CB10
Great news!
Posted via CB10
Yes!
Posted via CB10
A great step right now
Posted via CB10
Anyone know if they'll also release it for Windows rt tablets such as lumia 2520?
Posted via CB10
I actually really hope that BBM becomes available on tablets (in general, not just video on PlayBook), I would really love to BBM Video my grandmother on her Samsung Galaxy Tab from my Z10...
+1