[bb4life21]

I know this has been talked about hundreds of times in the past. But with the average launch of BB10 so far as a whole I figured opinions might have changed. I am personally one of those people previously who felt their is NO WAY blackberry could ever give up bbm to the masses because it was one of the few unique things blackberry still had to claim as their own. However when I set up my Z10 I couldn't help but realize how few contacts I had compared to when I set up my 9900. Now I am fully aware that since "I" have only 7 contacts left after having over a hundred easily a few years ago means absolutely NOTHING as it pertains to everybody. I was just wondering what others opinion was. I know blackberry in the past has very adamant about how they will not offer it across platforms. I was thinking maybe blackberry could cash in while bbm is the best of it's kind. Sooner or later the other platforms will find a viable option. Whatspp is close but due to security and some bugs doesn't quite overtake bbm. It will only be a matter of time before there will be another bbm. Why not offer blackberrry users it free and maybe charge other platforms a yearly fee to use it? Just my thoughts. Maybe there is a very logical reason they are not and I totally missed it. Just wondering other members thoughts

PS No reason for any arguments. This thread is strictly OPINION. Thanks in advance for thoughts

[anon(153966)]

Bad idea, seriously...

[Xopher]

Average launch? Seems like it has caught on quite well outside the USA.

No. I don't think they need to lose one of the advantages of having a BlackBerry. {closes the door to his walled garden}

Posted via CB10

[SparkyBC]

Simple NO. We don't need ios or android on BBM. Does ios have a multi platform messenger for other os? NO

Instead they tried and failed at imessage. Just because the 500lb gorilla does not mean they always get their way. Just wait for their next ripoff.

[DariusG1996]

I think it would be an extremely BAD MOVE!

BlackBerry Messenger is one of the most, if not, the most attractive point when people buy a BlackBerry.

Many of my friends have 'converted' to iPhones, despite me telling them not to do so. The most common phrase I hear is...

"iPhones are better, BlackBerry's are S***! The only good thing about a BlackBerry is BBM?!"

Which brings me to my conclusion.... If BlackBerry open up BBM for other platforms - BlackBerry may as well stop making phones - people are going to think...

"Why get a BlackBerry, when I can get an iPhone with more apps, AND BBM?!" Which is NOT good for BlackBerry! They should not even think about licensing it to ANY platform, giving the other platforms even more 'edge' over BlackBerry!

[xandermac]

The may want to consider porting it as a subscription service, to make up for lost BIS revenue. BBM, in it's current form, would be useless to me as I no longer know anyone that even uses a BB.

[MartyMcfly]

Would matter at this point? What'sapp is popular not to mention fb chat, Google +(i wish the z10 had this) and other im clients. I

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

[Gerii]

I personally would like to have BBM on other platforms because most of my friends have Android phones and won't switch to BlackBerry as they either just got a new phone some months ago or the Z10 is too expensive off contract and available only on the most expensive carrier currently.
Don't know if it would be a good or bad move for BlackBerry, but here in Austria BBM isn't really a big advantage over other phones because not a lot of people use a BlackBerry.

[adjdudley21]

no they should not... simply put... There are several viable cross platform messengers available.... making blackberry cross platform not only is not profitable, its not smart.. I mean I stick with blackberry because of BBM.. If BBM was on a S3 what would be my reason NOT to get a S3... also the perception of blackberry would not only stay the same, it would get worse.. talk about stock going down.. not only would it go down, they might as well dismantle and sell sell sell.. Apple would never put imessage or itunes store on android or blackberry.. why? because its what makes an iphone an iphone... theres no logic behind cross platform BLACKBERRY messenger... NONE AT ALL!!!!

[geoffsdad]

H add an E then double LL'S, NO

Posted via CB10

[CairnsRock]

The may want to consider porting it as a subscription service, to make up for lost BIS revenue. BBM, in it's current form, would be useless to me as I no longer know anyone that even uses a BB.

They could make it an iPhone app. Free for 3 months then $2 a month subscription or whatever amount works for them.

[Bilaal]

If people are so butthurt for not having BBM, point them to the nearest carrier shop and tell them to go buy a BlackBerry instead.

[bigbadben10]

Nope, you want BBM, you buy a BlackBerry Mobile phone.

[nhanken]

Ok here's how it should be:

1) BlackBerry should do what whatsapp is doing. If people don't have BlackBerry devices, they should pay a yearly fee to get a BlackBerry PIN and be able to use BBM(let's say $0.99/year). If 11 million android and ios owners use this service, that would give BlackBerry almost $11 million annually wouldn't that be better than nothing?

2) those of us who use a BlackBerry device will continue to use BBM as is (including The PlayBook - which should have a PIN and use BBM without bridging)

If BlackBerry initiates this move, BBM will become a generic term that even the average Joe will know about!



Posted via CB10

[belfastdispatcher]

Opening BBM to other platforms is two fold, first BlackBerry have to open it second the other platforms have to accept it in their app stores.

Personally I think it's a bad idea and a little too late to do it anyway. Everybody's on WhatsApp by now.

Posted via CB10

[MartyMcfly]

They could make it an iPhone app. Free for 3 months then $2 a month subscription or whatever amount works for them.

This woukd fail in my opinion. Why pay 2 bucks a month when I can get What'sapp for 99 cents, or Google plus and the other popular im apps for free?

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

[pantlesspenguin]

I still want to know what BBRY is doing with LiveProfile. They bought it, but haven't said a THING about it since the purchase. The app is still being updated (it FINALLY got groups), but liveprofile.com hasn't been updated since the purchase, so it seems. There's no mention of BBRY on the website or on the app landing page in the play store/app store. When they bought LP I thought for sure it was a sign that they were working on a cross-platform version of BBM.

[belfastdispatcher]

I still want to know what BBRY is doing with LiveProfile. They bought it, but haven't said a THING about it since the purchase. The app is still being updated (it FINALLY got groups), but liveprofile.com hasn't been updated since the purchase, so it seems. There's no mention of BBRY on the website or on the app landing page in the play store/app store. When they bought LP I thought for sure it was a sign that they were working on a cross-platform version of BBM.

They also bought a cloud service and look what happened with that.

Posted via CB10

[bobauckland]

Lol everytime this question is asked, people go no no no bad idea BlackBerry will fail.
I really wonder why so many people think BBM is keeping BlackBerry users.
Cross platform messenger work cross platform.
When you have 5% marketshare what's the point in a BB only solution?

[nhanken]

I would disagree with you. How would you know it's gonna fail if they haven't tried it. Whatsapp is successful because it's open to other platforms. BBM was popular because there were lots of people using BlackBerries during which time whatsapp didn't even exist or was just a nobody.

In the world of technology, you'd never know until you try. Look at BlackBerry and Nokia laughing at the iphone when it launched in 2007. People were saying Apple was doomed in the 80's and Microsoft had to bail them out. Just look at where they are now.

Opening BBM to other platforms is two fold, first BlackBerry have to open it second the other platforms have to accept it in their app stores.

Personally I think it's a bad idea and a little too late to do it anyway. Everybody's on WhatsApp by now.

Posted via CB10

Posted via CB10

[pantlesspenguin]

They also bought a cloud service and look what happened with that.

Posted via CB10

So what are they doing with these companies?

[belfastdispatcher]

So what are they doing with these companies?

They sold the cloud company at a loss, I have no idea what they did with it.

Posted via CB10

[mnemanov]

IMHO

BBM should be available on all platforms (PC, Mobile, whatever)

BUT here's the catch: if you have a valid BBID (associated with a Blackberry device) then you can use it free to chat with anyone. if you do not, then you can only use it to chat with someone who does have a valid BBID)

[pantlesspenguin]

They sold the cloud company at a loss, I have no idea what they did with it.

Posted via CB10

That's too bad. A native cloud solution would've been awesome.

Maybe *at one time* they were looking at a cross platform BBM, but have since found bigger fish to fry and are sitting on LP for now? There are obviously still people working on it if the app is continually being updated.

[danprown]

I think the explanation is prosaic in that even if they wanted to, the can't do it at the moment technically. I mean, the could not put BBM on the Paybook, and that is BB's own platform.