Blackberry is set to bring its famous BBM messaging system cross-platform sometime this summer when it releases a version of the service for iOS and Android.
Earlier this month, UK T-Mobile's Twitter account tweeted: "BlackBerry Messenger will be available to download on iOS and Android from June 27th! :)" The tweet came complete with a photo of a Samsung Galaxy S4 running BBM. Despite the clear announcement, Samsung took the tweet down later that day. This prompt BlackBerry to officially deny the announcement telling Wired the June 27 release date was no accurate.
According to the International Business Times, BlackBerry previously said BBM will be going cross-platform sometime this summer. If the June 27 release date is not correct, users can likely expect the phone sometime in early July or, at the very latest, early August.
BlackBerry has also revealed the release date is not up to them, but rather Apple and Google as BBM is still awaiting acceptance into the App store and Google Play.
Some features that made BBM messaging so popular and successful include the ability to send and receive text messages quicker than running them through a wireless service. Texts can be up to 2,000 characters, eliminating the need for multiple text messages for longer texts. In addition, BBM will offer video and voice chat, provided the user is connected to Wi-Fi.
Recently, BlackBerry has come out with several smartphones to rival the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S4 including the Q10, the Z10 and the brand's new flagship phone, the A10. It is unclear whether or not making BBM no longer exclusive to BlackBerry devices will help or hurt the brand.
Many analysts believe one of the key selling points to a BlackBerry device was the exclusive BBM messaging. With that gone, no one is sure what the impact on the brand will be.
