Upcoming BBM update will officially introduce BBM Desktop in beta!

BBM Desktop Beta Extends Chat Potential

We're thrilled to announce that this release kicks off the rollout of BBM Desktop beta for Android users, extending their chat to the desktop, so that they can chat seamlessly across devices. For now, BBM Desktop beta will only be available to selected users.

To use BBM Desktop beta:

• Selected Android users will see the BBM desktop icon in their Me tab.
• Click on the link to reveal a barcode scanner.
• Go to web.bbmessaging.com on your desktop and scan the barcode.

If you don't see the Desktop icon in your BBM, rest assured that we'll roll out the full version to everyone very soon—and will let you know as soon as we do!

In the Desktop beta, users can:

• Choose to view all their chats in a list or in Groups
• Search for specific conversations from the search bar
• Search for a Contact to create a new chat
• Find a contact by alphabetical grouping with the first letter of their name
• View broadcast messages from Channels they subscribe to

We'll be busy testing this exciting new feature of BBM in the coming weeks, working out all the kinks and making it ready for prime time. So, stay tuned!

Groups Are Better Than Ever: 6X members, "D" and "R" status

Groups used to be limited to 50 people. Now, they can fit 300—that's six times more—for both Android and iOS users! Anytime you create a new Group in the latest BBM, you'll have the option to choose the old 50-person limit, or the new 300-person limit.

Groups will also now have delivered (D) and read (R) status notes for each member in the group. When anyone in the group sends a message, they'll be able to see who has received the message, and who's read it. To view the status, long-tap the message you sent on the chat page and select Info.

This new notification enhances group interaction, since senders will now know who's seen and read their messages.

Introducing Official Accounts for Indonesia

In this new release, we're also proudly launching Official Accounts, which provides a convenient way for BBM partners to gather and interact with their audience or followers. Brands, businesses and even celebrities are now able to customize their messages to users who subscribe to their accounts, giving them increased control over how they wish to target and reach out to their followers. This feature is on both Android and iOS, and is available exclusively for the Indonesian market, for now.

For Brands, Official Accounts enable them to provide timely and value-added content such as contests, promotional codes and marketing materials to their consumers and patrons. Businesses can also utilize Official Accounts as a default messaging tool for internal communications. Celebrities can easily engage and update fans on their activities, post photos and videos, promote fan meetings, single or album releases, and new drama or movie releases.

For Android: Share More Documents, Show Off Sticker Packs

Android users can now share any type of document faster via both 1:1 and Group chats. In 1:1 chats, it's an improvement on what we had before, so you can send and receive PDFs, Microsoft office files, RAR and ZIP files—even to users on older versions of BBM. As long as the sender has the today's release, the files will go through.

Document sharing in Groups is a new feature. You can also share any type of document in Groups, but it's not backwards compatible, so everyone in the group will need to upgrade to receive the files.

Also for Android users, next time you get new BBM stickers, you can let your friends and family see a sample! Whenever you download a new sticker pack, you'll now have the option to share a preview on your timeline. Click OK, and we'll take care of the rest.