That Awkward Moment When BlackBerry Finally Cracks and Gives BBM to its Rivals

[Vunderkind]

Starting from this weekend, you no longer need to own a BlackBerry to use the BlackBerry Messaging Service popularly abbreviated as BBM.

According to BBC News, BlackBerry has announced that their BBM app will be available for free download for Apple and Android devices. However, it would appear that Windows hasn’t been invited to the party.

This is following on the heels of the news report that BlackBerry is going to lay off 40% of its staff before 2014.

Experts believe that this is a welcome idea for BlackBerry – making BBM accessible on other apps – as it could be a form of reinvention for them.

"Blackberry is having a tough time, sales are down, it is losing market to Windows phones and it needs to do something to stop the rot. This is as good a move as any, offering it across other platforms broadens the appeal of BBM,” Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davis Murphy Group Europe said.

BlackBerry is not expected to make any money from making BBM public. Mr. Green even says “it could even cost it money.”

However, there are predictions that BBM may disrupt the sweet market Skype and WhatsApp appear to be enjoying currently.

 

[naija questions]

Might not be such a bad move as they can become one of the biggest social tools around and maybe they have found a way to make money from abbreviated english.

 

[The_Astutian]

However, there are predictions that BBM may disrupt the sweet market Skype and WhatsApp appear to be enjoying currently.

Only in Nigeria.