[sam_d]

With recent voice call support for BBM and upcoming BBM based video call in BB10, I think RIM should also release a Windows client for BBM.

1) BBM is not available on other mobile platforms which is fine considering the risk it brings due to elimination of exclusiveness , but by making it available on windows, RIM will give one more reason to buy BB phones for people whose friends , relatives and family do not have a BB. specially when Skype is not coming on BB10.

2) Skype is currently available on PC and Win mobiles both. Similarly people are using Google voice clients to connect between an Android phone and their friends on a PC/laptop. Both of these create a bridge between Mobile and PC users and helps people to connect. RIM gets a hit on this, as a BB user can not find similar solution for his needs.

3) If they do a nice integration and achieve good quality, and it becomes popular, the effect of having it on windows may help more, as some PC users who have a Android or iPhone may switch to blackberry due to this.

4) It will also help blackberry in office environment where people can use it for meetings/talks etc with their BB phone and work PCs in one integrated fashion.

5) In general , expanding the capabilities of a communication system always helps the ecosystem it is on, because it brings more people in that network and gives an incentive to people who are connected in that network to stay there.

I have a feeling that may be we will see such an announcement on 30th January. if it happens, it will be a big surprise, BB10 is already so awesome and people will jump to it as they will see that they with a BB10 phone they can just connect to almost anyone on this planet (assuming everyone on this planet has a PC) (yeah, I know Mac is a popular OS too).

[Andrew4life]

BBM was meant to be for blackberry phones on BIS only.

Whether or not that changes in 3 weeks is anybody's guess.

[RECOOL]

there os a desktop client coming look around for the info.

[Foreverup]

there os a desktop client coming look around for the info.

the last info that came out about that was from @BlackberryScoop which i don't know if the twitter account is 100% accurate

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk

[jagrlover]

I asked "somebody" who would know. Based on my people reading skills and his reaction(wouldn't confirm or deny) my hunch is it's definitely coming.

[Skeevecr]

the last info that came out about that was from @BlackberryScoop which i don't know if the twitter account is 100% accurate

If you excluded the stuff already seen elsewhere, the accuracy level was much closer to 0% than 100%

Getting back to the OP, the main reason bbm was strictly for just a bb in the past was due to it being tied to a pin so would have been more hassle to create a desktop client, now they have made the switch to it being bbid-based there is more scope to move beyond just being on blackberries.

[mathking606]

Didn't nerberry release some leaked info about BBM Desktop.

[BBThemes]

because BB10 and the new phones kinda have priority over `extras`. cant think why lol

[Dapper37]

Nerdberry has a contact in Indonesia that claims BBM Desktop is already working and going to be released! Claims that internal RIM employees use it already!

[raysai]

I pray this will actually come to fruition on January 30th. OP makes some incredibly valid points that I too have considered. Everyone else is expanding the capabilities of their platform by bridging the mobile/pc/mac divide and RIM NEEDS TO DO THIS AS WELL. It's SO BLATANTLY OBVIOUS that this is just another 'next step' that they need to have ready at launch. The desktop client must have the same capabilities as BBM on BB10 will (screen sharing, video chat, send/receive files, voice calls, etc. etc.). This will get non-BB users engaged with the BBM platform on their pc and drive more interest in potentially moving over to the phone itself.

[vasilisiou]

Just imagine how cool the screen sharing feature could be between a desktop computer and a Blackberry 10 phone!!! A real productive tool! I hope for a desktop version too!!

[Xopher]

If internal employees are using it, then maybe this will be a BES feature? There would have to be a connection to the NOC for it to work on computers. I don't see RIM opening up BBM to just anyone who doesn't have a BIS/BES account, but it could be something that gets included with BES.

[randall2580]

If internal employees are using it, then maybe this will be a BES feature? There would have to be a connection to the NOC for it to work on computers. I don't see RIM opening up BBM to just anyone who doesn't have a BIS/BES account, but it could be something that gets included with BES.

This

Having it on the desktop doesn't add much value if it requires a BB phone companion, if it's not available to be used like others are who can be used without the requirement of a phone or a BIS/BES account. If it is available to anyone then why not just make it available to everyone on all platforms?

I believe it could be coming, but I am not sure of the value of it if it's a closed system.

[jagrlover]

This

Having it on the desktop doesn't add much value if it requires a BB phone companion, if it's not available to be used like others are who can be used without the requirement of a phone or a BIS/BES account. If it is available to anyone then why not just make it available to everyone on all platforms?



I believe it could be coming, but I am not sure of the value of it if it's a closed system.

Making it available on desktop doesn't translate negatively to their mobile business. Arguments can be made that it could negatively impact the mobile marketplace if they go cross platform.

[Thunderbuck]

I'm hoping the rumors on this one are true. I can't tell you how many Playbook owners I've run into who ask if Skype is coming. With video chat being integrated into BBM and a BBM desktop client, Skype doesn't look quite so necessary anymore.

[kevinnugent]

I'm hoping the rumors on this one are true. I can't tell you how many Playbook owners I've run into who ask if Skype is coming. With video chat being integrated into BBM and a BBM desktop client, Skype doesn't look quite so necessary anymore.

As long as it's fully inclusive for Mac OS too. I hate being the red-headed step kid without a Windows PC.

[edyb]

I think it may have to do with security and verification of the originator/source and target, and that it is a free non-data consuming feature of Blackberry phones no matter where you are roaming because it uses the BB network?

There are other chat-apps available on BB and cross-platform including PC versions that you can download like Hookt Messenger. I deleted it because it was eating my battery but it did have a desktop version too.

I like that BBM can be used for free anywhere, and not part of your texting or data usage limits. Even when roaming it is free as far as I know.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Crackberry Tapatalk Forum app

[mnc76]

All I will say is this. Its been two full years since the last person I know stopped using BBM.

So for me, all this cool news about BBM video, voice, etc... is very bitter sweet :/

[jimpilot]

I can imagine a world where BBM is available as an app for other mobile OS and a desktop version. It could be a worthy competitor for Skype

I know folks will list 15 reasons why it won't happen but I'm just saying wouldn't it be something.

[randall2580]

Making it available on desktop doesn't translate negatively to their mobile business. Arguments can be made that it could negatively impact the mobile marketplace if they go cross platform.

I'm not sure I made my point clear, and I'm not sure it's easy to do. Let me give it another go...

You have your phone, maybe a PlayBook registered to your BBID that can use the BBM video, I am assuming they would allow you to use one BBID for both. Does having it on the desktop significantly augment that? How do you decide how many computers can be registered to one BBID, one desktop, one laptop as MS used to do with Office? How do you transfer the ID if you get rid of a computer? Could I use the one on mine and the 2nd on my girlfriends computer? Not limiting the license would allow anyone with or without a BB phone to leverage the system, that's my point about affecting mobile.

In the end I am not sure what value proposition it brings I guess is the point I am poorly trying to make. I guess the desktop is a more powerful computer in principal and is more capable of providing a better service? Based on BBM voice it seems RIM can leverage their infrastructure pretty well in this regards. More questions than statements here just trying to figure out the value.

[lewis71980]

Hopefully they will make a desktop client that uses the blackberry as a form of authentication. Like a hardware dongle.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk