Hasta La Gadget!

After months and months of endless speculation, BlackBerry finally confirmed last week that it would rollout BBM for iOS and Android over the weekend. The company first announced back in May earlier this year that it is going to open up its instant messaging service to other platforms. On the eve before the official rollout, the APK file of BBM for Android was leaked online which caused a number of issues. This lead to BlackBerry halting the rollout for both iOS and Android, despite the fact that BBM for iOS had already gone live on the App Store. Earlier today the company reiterated its commitment to rolling out BBM for these platforms via Twitter.

BlackBerry said through Twitter that it is “still 100% committed to Bringing BBM to Android and iPhone.” It invites users to sign up to be notified immediately when the rollout commences once again. BlackBerry has not provided a concrete release date as yet, so it can not be sure exactly when BBM for both Android and iOS will go live again. Those who were able to download the iOS version when it was live will be able to use it nonetheless, while those who had sideloaded the Android APK will not be able to use BBM as that version has been disabled.

BlackBerry Reiterates Commitment To BBM For iOS And Android After Halting Rollout original content from Ubergizmo.

This weekend BlackBerry Messenger for Android and iOS will be launched in the Google Play Store and App Store, respectively. This is the first time that the once iconic phone manufacturer’s exclusive instant messaging service is being opened up for other platforms, the platforms that have eroded its market share in less than a decade. Since this is a significant move for the company, people have been wondering how BBM will perform on these platforms, given the abundance of IM services such as WhatsApp, Viber and Line, which are quite popular. BlackBerry says that more than 2.5 million people have already pre-registered to download the app on their respective platforms.

The company says that over 60 million people around the world currently use BBM, this number solely comprises of users who have BlackBerry smartphones. BBM is actually considered to be one of the remaining strengths of the company, which is trying to find a buyer for itself. There have been rumors that perhaps BBM might even be spun off into a separate company. For now, BBM on Android and iOS will come with the core feature set, which includes instant messaging and groups. The company says that over time, it will add new features such as video and voice chat and BBM Channels. We’ve got to ask, are you willing to try out BBM on your iPhone or Android?

Over 2.5 Million People Pre-Registered For BBM On Android And iOS original content from Ubergizmo.

Earlier this year BlackBerry announced that it was going to release BlackBerry Messenger for both iOS and Android. The release hasn’t taken place as yet, but it is expected that the company will elaborate on that in the coming days. Samsung was one of the first companies to begin promoting BBM for Android, the focus of that promotion has largely been in Africa. Samsung Nigeria has confirmed over Twitter a local news report that the company is getting a three month exclusive with BBM for Android in the continent. It is now said that Samsung will release BBM for its Android devices there on Friday.

Despite the fact that the tweet went out from Samsung Nigeria’s official Twitter account, the company hasn’t revealed any more details about the exclusivity agreement. BlackBerry has reportedly denied that BBM for Android will be exclusive to Samsung’s Android smartphones for three months in Africa. BlackBerry is conducting an event on September 18th where it is expected to make announcements related to BBM for iOS and Android. It is also expected to unveil the BlackBerry Z30, its first ever phablet. The event takes place in Malaysia. It isn’t known at this point in time when the company’s messaging service will be released for all Android devices around the globe.

Samsung Will Reportedly Release BBM For Android In Africa On Friday original content from Ubergizmo.