BlackBerry has outrightly rejected earlier reports that BlackBerry Messenger app is coming exclusively for Samsung devices.
BlackBerry’s spokesperson Victoria Berry has even sent out a clarifying statement to iAfrica.com stating, “The excitement around the upcoming BBM launch on iPhone and Android devices seems to know no bounds. Although I’m a big fan of this passion, I want to clarify that no one will have an exclusive on offering BBM. We’ll be bringing the app to Android and iPhone users across the globe soon.”
It is, however, still unclear whether the application would be launching on the coming Friday or not, as reported by The Mobile Indian.
As The Mobile Indian had also reported earlier, BBM is set to be launched for both Android and iOS devices. At the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando earlier this year, BlackBerry chief executive officer Thorsten Heins himself announced that BlackBerry Messenger apps for iOS and Android will be made available for free.
BBM or BlackBerry Messenger till now is available for BlackBerry device owners only. Messages sent via BlackBerry Messenger are sent over the Internet and use the BlackBerry PIN system, so communication is only possible between BlackBerry devices. BBM gained popularity over the years due to its secure nature.
Curiously, BlackBerry users now have to pay a certain amount in order to use the BBM service. Currently, in India, the cheapest BBM plan costs around Rs 129. So how the BBM Android and iOS service will affect the BlackBerry BBM users is remain to be seen.