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BlackBerry’s BBM is indubitably an app known to many. This is utterly unexpected though absolutely real, considering the relatively unimpressive performance of the Canadian smartphone manufacturer over the past 3 years and the fact that it only accounts to a minute percentage in the smartphone market share across the globe.

After quite a long wait, BlackBerry has finally announced that the BBM will be available for both Android and iOS devices. The previous delays were brought about after an influx of Android devices had used a leaked version of BBM that caused the app servers some issues. Nonetheless, because it’s so popular, there were already 6 million people who signed up even before the app was launched in non-BlackBerry app stores.

Just 8 hours after the app has been announced, over 5 million people had already downloaded the app. And just within 24 hours, more than 10 million users had downloaded this cross-platform mobile app. As of the moment, BBM is the top free downloaded app in App Store from the 1,000,000 various apps in its compilation. As for Google Play, the numbers still read as zero downloads; perhaps once the numbers are updated, BBM will shoot up the charts.

A number of app developers all over the world tried to replicate the concept behind BlackBerry’s BBM in the form of WhatsApp, LINE, Viber, Voxer, Kakaotalk, and a lot more other messaging apps but nothing still beats the original. The mobile messaging service that the Canadian company offers is simply like no other. Though, the concern of many analysts is that if only BBM were released 2 years ago, maybe, BlackBerry wouldn’t be in the struggling position it is in today. Maybe, its products still haven’t disappeared in the phone line-ups of wireless carriers, shelves of tech shops, or listings of online mobile stores if it were able to do this so much earlier than today.

Anyway, to become a BBM user, first, you have to download the app (of course). Then, once you have installed the app, open it, and key in your email address. Although you already have the app in your device, you can’t be able to use it just yet because you still have to deal with the virtual queue to reserve your spot in the app registry. Once you reach the front of the virtual line, you will be receiving an email from BlackBerry; then, you can start using BBM. According to the company in its blog post, “If you didn’t sign up in advance, don’t worry—we are focused on moving millions of customers through the line as fast as possible.” And if you’re concerned about the cost of having this on your device, don’t worry because it’s completely free.

It isn’t anymore an unknown fact that BlackBerry is facing hardships keeping the company adrift, but as of now, it remains unclear on what kind of rewards will the company reap from making BBM available for both iOS and Android. Is the app going to turn into a solid revenue-making body? We still don’t know. In any case, with all the successes and downfalls of BlackBerry, perhaps the BBM will be its legacy—the masterpiece that will carry its name throughout the end of time.





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    Nick

    is a man full of risks. He enjoys a challenge every now and then which is why even if it isn’t his chosen profession, he takes it all in. At present, he works for one of the top online mobile stores, Ecell Global.