BlackBerry previously announced that BlackBerry Messenger would be coming to iOS and Android during the summer. We last heard that the iPhone/iPad version was in the queue for Apple App Store approval. Today, BlackBerry announced that the Android BBM app will be available at 7:00 am ET on Saturday.
The iPhone iOS version will be available at 12:01 am local time in each market on Saturday, September 21.
Previously, BlackBerry promised BBM for Android and iPhone by the end of summer. The Android version is for Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and later, while the iOS version works for iOS 6. It's not clear it the iPhone/iPad version will work with iOS7. Customers will be able to download BBM by visiting www.BBM.com from their smartphone browser.
BBM offers mobile messaging with delivered and read statuses as well as personalized profiles and avatars. iOS and Android users can participate in BBM chats, including multi-person chats, as well as the ability to share photos and voice notes, and engage in BBM Groups of up to 30 people.
iOS and Android App users would be able to add their contacts through PIN, email, SMS or QR code scan. Android users would also be able to connect using a compatible NFC-capable device.
Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains your privacy, so you don’t have to give out your phone number or email address to a new or casual contact.
BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers on BlackBerry alone, and the overwhelming majority use BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps