BBM to expand presence to Windows phones
16 May 2014
After it debuted BBM on Apple and Android phones, Canadian firm BlackBerry is looking to extend the instant messaging service to Windows phones later this year as it seeks to move to newer areas for monetisation, PTI reports.
The BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was once exclusive to BlackBerry devices, but the company last year made it available on rival platforms of Google's Android and Apple's iOS.
BBM, with competition from the likes of WhatsApp, Line and WeChat, counted 85 million monthly users and around 113 million global registered users as of March 2014.
According to analysts, the company's strategic move would enable it to provide an open and flexible mobile environment to its customers.
They further add that it would also help the troubled Canadian smartphone maker add more users to BBM, a move that could enable BlackBerry check losses and fund its turnaround efforts.
The Waterloo- (Ontario) based company had announced in February 2014, that BBM was coming to Windows Phone and Nokia X platforms in the coming months.
BlackBerry president (Global Enterprise Services) John Sims, said in a recent blog post, ''We've expanded our BES10 and BBM messaging platform to include iOS and Android and later this year, we will add Windows Phone.
According to Sims, who earlier headed SAP's mobile services and telecom, the firm aimed to continue to provide customers increased flexibility and choice in their mobile device environments.