BBM Launching on Google Play, iOS App Store, and Select Samsung App Stores Today
Today, BlackBerry is rolling out the launch version of its long-awaited messaging app, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), on Google Play, the iOS App Store, and select Samsung App Stores for your supported smart device of choice.
Originally, the app was slated for multi-platform release back in late September.
The Android version of the app previously went through some launch-halting development issues, but is finally available now for free. If you can’t see it on your particular marketplace of choice just yet, BlackBerry says that it should be fully available for download “in the next few hours.”
What’s important to note about this app launch compared to the launch of other long-awaited apps is that BBM will be sequentially delivered to its users. In short, you’re free to download the app immediately, but you’ll have to wait in a virtual line to log in to BlackBerry’s servers and start using their messaging systems.
Understandably, this should help keep the potential launch-day crashes and load-bearing errors at bay on both your end and BlackBerry’s – at least until the company can get every user in and build up their resources effectively.
Here are the steps for getting into the app, courtesy of the BlackBerry Blog:
- Download BBM – the easiest way is to visit BBM.com from your Android or iPhone browser.
- Once you install the app, open it, and enter your email address to hold your spot in line.
- We will email you as soon as you reach the front of the line and can start using BBM.
If you’re a user that signed up for more information on BlackBerry’s BBM site a while back, which makes you 1 of 6 million interested users, you can “start using BBM immediately without waiting in line.” Of course, the company is working tirelessly to get “millions of customers through the line as fast as possible,” so the wait shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
At publishing time, the app cannot be found on the iOS App Store, so don’t panic if you don’t see it just yet.
Important Note For Customers in Africa: “Samsung customers in Sub-Sahara Africa can download BBM today from the Samsung Apps store. iPhone and other Android users in Africa will be able to download the app in three days’ time.”