BlackBerry Messenger For iOS, Android June 27 Release Date False: BBM App To Come Preloaded Onto Rival Companies' Phones

BlackBerry disputed UK phone retailer, T-Mobile that made initial claims saying Blackberry Messenger will hit the Apple App Store and Google Play on June 27.

Earlier this Thursday, T-Mobile posted a tweet saying that BBM will be available for download for iOS and Android users starting on June 27. The tweet came with a photo showing a BlackBerry Messeger conversation that runs on a Samsung smart phone. However, the tweet has already been deleted, after questioning the accuracy of the information.

BlackBerry respond to T-Mobile's tweet through a statement:

On May 14th, BlackBerry announced plans to make its ground-breaking mobile social network, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), available to iOS and Android users this summer, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. While there have been reports that BBM will be available to iOS and Android on June 27th, this is not accurate. We will communicate an update as soon as we have an availability date to share.

Furthermore, a spokeswoman of BlackBerry told CNET, "That date is completely inaccurate; we have never indicated a specific date."

Blackberry is currently in search for ways they can expand the reach of their popular BBM app and move it to other existing operating systems. Just last month, the phone company announced their plans on making it available for iOS and Android users, but remain tight-lipped about a particular date for the launching. During the announcement, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins shared, "we are confident the time is right for BBM to be independent."

Furthermore, BlackBerry is already working with other smart phone manufacturers to preload BBM service onto their handset devices. The BlackBerry Chief Operating Office, Kristian Tear, expressed that there is interest from other competing phone companies.

Exporting Blackberry Messenger to iOS and to Android is the first time that the BBM services will be open for non-Blackberry devices. This bold move may pose a threat for the company, as BBM users may decide to switch from a BlackBerry phone to an Android smart phone. However, Tear did not think that would happen.

"We don't feel like that is a risk. Obviously, if we did, we might have acted differently," he said. 

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BlackBerry
Apple
google
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