Why You should Install BBM the Moment it Hits the Play Store!

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It’s finally official! Blackberry’s popular Instant Messenger BBM is arriving on Android on September 21. This marks the end of a long wait since earlier this year, when Blackberry originally announced that BBM would be ported onto android. At its prime, BBM was the most widely used Instant Messenger in the world, and even today, its charm is intact.

 

With the debut of BBM on the Play Store imminent, here are some reasons why you should install it the moment it becomes available.

 

More Privacy

Android already has capable IM apps like Whatsapp, but there is a flipside to them. You will have  to give out your phone number when adding brand new friends. You will also have to pop your SIM card into a new device when switching before you can set up WhatsApp. This can be a hassle if you’re using a secondary phone or SIM temporarily. What’s more worrisome, is that anyone who has your mobile mumber can text you on whatsapp.

 

BlackBerry Messenger on the contrary works through PIN numbers. Though these were traditionally tied specifically to BlackBerry devices, now anybody starting up on Android or iOS will get their own unique PIN numbers too. New users also sign up for a BlackBerry ID, which provides more traditional e-mail-based log-in to BBM.  If you’re switching devices, you can back up your contact list to the cloud then remotely restore it on the new device thanks to BBID.

 

Easy File Sharing

The current crop of IM’s on Android allow you to share pictures, video and audio files, whereas BBM will let you exchange just about any type of file you have. Say goodbye to sendspace once you have BBM (Provided the size of the file is reasonable.)

 

Richer Group Chat

Both BBM and WhatsApp support group chat, but BBM’s version is noticably more rich. What really seals the deal, though, is BBM Channels. This allows users to anonymously subscribe to channels which broadcast all sorts of content at them. Direct chat can be enabled between channel owners and followers too, which is great for promoting engagement and handling stuff like giveaways or “office hours”. Channel owners get metrics on traffic and a web interface for publishing updates – perfect for brand owners looking to reach a new demographic. Though Channels won’t be available on Android or iOS versions at launch, they should be arriving shortly thereafter.

 

BBM may have a tough time getting marketshare on android, due to its late entry. What will definately help, is that it will be free at launch. That and the abovementioned reasons will make BBM very hard to resist.

 

Only time will tell how much traction BBM manages to generate on android. Till then, all eyes will be on the sept 21 release date! Are you Ready?