This is what losing looks like: according to sources speaking to Boy Genius Report, Research In Motion is preparing to bring Blackberry Messenger to iOS through the App Store.
BGR says that RIM wants to own the messaging space, and that means being ubiquitous across all platforms. It’s a curious move: BlackBerry Messaging is one of the few reasons people still buy BlackBerry smartphones over an iOS or Android device.
Ceding the messaging advantage to the competition? A curious move to say the least, especially since RIM is supposedly hopeful that their new BlackBerry tablet, the PlayBook, can help them get back some of their sales mojo. Does RIM see its future as being primarily in software over hardware? Are they already ceding victory to Apple and Google?
[via TUAW]
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
28 responses to “Report: RIM To Bring BlackBerry Messaging To The App Store”
If you cant beat them .. join them .. LOL
BBM FOR IPHONE WOOT!
Nah, it’s not a bad move at all…it’s like the crack business…small hits for free (or a nominal fee) and then you sell for large amounts of money. Here, what RIM is gonna do (if they do this…I’m not convinced they are smart enough nor brave enough) is get a crippled BBM to compiting platforms…say message-only…then do “multimedia” (pics, video, contacts, etc) only on blackberry phones…try to get people hooked on their platform by a side-channel, much like apple does with the ipod and iphone (I bought a MBAir because I love my iphone that I bought because I used to love my ipod…see? junkies we all :)
makes no sense to RIM to do that. They should have rather abandoned Blackberry OS and adopted Android and put their propriety services on top of it and called it BLACKDROID to stay revelant. bad move for RIM.
So , what I dont understand …. BB messenger runs through RIMs data channel. Its the reason why ou are able to use BB messenger to other countries without incurring additional fees. Thats one of the best things about BB messenger… So how can it be used on a different os without going through RIM portal it wont be the same messenger service that makes it so popular but merely a cheapened version with the same name.. enjoy it whoever falls for the bait and swap.
So I just bought a Blackberry for this very reason … BBM … if this actually happens I’m returning my Blackberry… And just using my iPhone. And to the first comment. It’s not hard to make some changes and make the app run through RIMs servers….
I also have a Blackberry just for BBM. But I would probably keep it since I can tether with the blackberry. I doubt this will happen. But I would be happy to see it happen.
I like droidberry rather then blackdroid
just like the crack business…
BB messenging won’t be the same secure service for non-Blackberry devices as for Blackberry owners–it remains highly secure only for Blackberry owners. On Android or Apple, it will be like any across the board generic messenging service.
All my friends would like to switch to iphones but the bbm is holding them back
some just jumped ship trying to find alternatives like whatsapp
Deals between us have been made that, we should all just buy iphones to make it easier to give up the bbm
others are wonderinf how come never came up with a bbm alternative, which puzzled me since they had the iChat for the longest time.
I don’t get it. Does anyone here actually have an iPhone. I do, and there are tons of apps that let you text/pic msg with no limits for free. And they are not limited to just blackberry to blackberry like bbm. You can send and receive pics/msgs all day, its instant, they have emoticons, etc etc. , free, worldwide, and does not add a penny to your cell bill. What’s the big deal with bbm?
sweet!… bbm is the only good thing about rim. when will it be available?
i just read on another site that it will be a crippled version of bbm – no photo, video or location sharing… bummer.