Details are up in the air, BGR reports. BlackBerry Messenger for Android will likely be a limited service that includes text messaging, but no photos, location or video. It could be a free service, or it could require a one-time payment or monthly subscription. The plan is to launch BBM for Android later this year, possibly followed by the iPhone.
The rumor makes sense at first glance. Although Research in Motion came up with the idea of fluid, real-time instant messaging for smartphones, the BBM concept has since been duplicated on other platforms by Kik and WhatsApp. And with BlackBerry losing market share in the United States to the iPhone and Android, a platform-specific messaging system no longer makes a lot of sense. Bringing BBM to other platforms would make the service stronger while serving as a lure to Research in Motion's own smartphones.
But on another level, BlackBerry would be giving away a huge chunk of its soul. Smartphones are as much about their ecosystems of apps and services as they are about hardware and user interface. RIM would diminish its own ecosystem by bringing one of BlackBerry's main perks to Android and iOS.
And yet, both rumors, if true, would be a boon for consumers. PlayBook owners would get a wealth of apps right off the bat, and BlackBerry users would get a lot more use out of the messenger service, but neither benefit would dissuade users from straying to other platforms. More than ever, the Crackberry habit would become easier to shake.
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