After Numerous Delays, BlackBerry Messenger for iOS to Launch Today [Update: Released]

[herr_neumann]

First step in getting out of the hardware business? If anything it just makes transitioning away from a BB easier.

 

[Razeus]

If only my friend's contact photos actually looked like that.

 

[peterdevries]

I'll use it...

Like iMessage but compatible between all devices.

I know people that still have Blackberrys so being able to BBM them will be cool.

So many haters... now I really don't need to pay for texts. I am aware WhatsApp exists but so few people use it. At least BBM is something a lot of people know about.

The problem is that Whatsapp is growing and the BBM community is shrinking. These developments are self-reinforcing, so iOS BBM is indeed too late as the tipping point has been passed.

 

[Battlefield 2]

RIM is dead.

 

[dannyyankou]

What's "blackberry"? I'm not familiar.

I think it's a fruit. Don't know why it's on macrumors

 

[jmh600cbr]

Reasons why me and all my friends are downloading: it's free, the group chat capabilities are superior to iMessage and whatsapp, the cross platform functionality is more appealing than whatsapp.

Who we are: Canadian students in our twenties.

 

[SuperMatt]

If only my friend's contact photos actually looked like that.

If making all our friends look that beautiful and their contact photos taken by professional photographers is a new feature of BBM, sign me up!

 

[bushido]

Then it becomes less functional.

I don't like how iMessage replaces SMS. If I could opt-in to receive iMessages and to only send them when absolutely necessary (to iPad or iPod touch users), then I'd use it.

how does it become less functional? if someone has iMessage itll send as iMessage if someone doesnt have iMessage enabled or no iPhone itll send as an sms

 

[vmachiel]

BB10 is a very interesting OS which also has an Android player and now the price is great.

Well.. Enjoy bb while it's still here

 

[JGIGS]

What good does it do Apple to own the *free* Message market if it removes a reason for a user to move to the iOS platform?

User data. Email address location etc. It's why google offers all its services to everyone for free.

 

[Alexjones]

They are yummy

Goes nice with pancakes and waffles

 

[nepalisherpa]

You're funny. Nobody has this app on their phone. Who do you plan on communicating with?

I think it was a joke...

As Tyler23 said, it was a joke!

 

[WillFisher]

Might as well wait in line, the amount of people I still know who refuse to text or use any other service OTHER than BBM actually angers me.
Might actually message instead of just call them now...

 

[Rocko1]

Why waste bandwidth mentioning this? BB is dead.

 

[dannyyankou]

I downloaded it just for the hell of it. "Incredible demand", lol

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Thought I download it on my iPad and its not compatible
No GPS

 

[sixstrings03]

if this came out a few years ago, it would have been better for blackberry since blacberry users could communitcate with their iphone/android friends.

now, most people have switched so as a previous poster said...to little to late for blacberry.

as much as i support a canadian company, they're more an embarrassment to CAnada then anything else

That sounds like a bit of an overstatement.... if asked to name the embarrassing elements of the nation of Canada, RIM makes the list? What have they done that's embarrassing? Not keep up with Apple? Who has?

 

[xNYMetsx]

Isn't this whatsapp and iMessage? Way too late Blackberry

 

[paulcdb]

I was going to jump into this thread and make some mean comment about how no one cares, but others beat me to it.

At least now you know how Blackberry feel releasing BBM!

 

[djsukebe]

In other news, I sent a slow-mo video to my buddy via imessage...

 

[Technarchy]

For cross platform messaging I use Google Hangouts. I don't see what BBM could offer to make me change over.


Maybe some declaration of no NSA sharing, targeted marketing or data sharing.

 

[JGIGS]

What's "blackberry"? I'm not familiar.

Hmmm lets see. They are one of the original creaters of the messaging/smart phone and made it mainstream. If you don't think BB and Palm helped "inspire" Apple and Android then you are nuts.

Yes they are having a tough time and may eventually go under but they deserve recognition for what they've contributed to the smartphone industry.

 

[flux73]

User data. Email address location etc. It's why google offers all its services to everyone for free.

They already have that with iTunes which does run on other platforms. Adding iMessage to this doesn't bring any realistic benefit to Apple.

Apple's underlying business is fundamentally different than Google's. Google's goal is to sell services regardless of platform. Apple's goal is to sell a platform that has services.

 

[wildmac]

While BB is dead to many of you, there are those of us who still need to communicate with those using BB devices, or those of us who have one and have spouses, etc, who need to contact us.

So yeah, there's a use for this. May not need it in a few years, but there's a use for it now.

 

[Steviejobz]

2006 called and wants its app back.