RIM to extend BlackBerry Messenger to Android and iOS

BGR reports that they are working on bringing BlackBerry Messenger to the rest of the mobile platforms such as Android and iOS. This is due to the rise of cross platform messaging services such as WhatsApp and Kik which works similarly to BBM. Obviously RIM too wants a slice of cross-platform communications as well. BBM for Android and iPhones? Why not?

While this is good news, RIM isn’t going to open its bread and butter messaging software fully as they are likely to retain some key features exclusively to BlackBerry devices only. The very least we could expect is striped down BBM for pure messaging.

It is said that Android is the first platform for RIM to develop and iOS to follow later. We think that while most of us have adopted WhatsApp or Kik for cross platform communication, is there still room for BBM on your device? It would be tough for RIM to convince WhatsApp early adopters to switch unless of course BBM for Android/iOS could offer better realibility or features that WhatsApp don’t. WhatsApp charges either a one time fee or annual subscription so RIM has to offer something really good to get people hooked.

[ SOURCE, VIA ]