Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY) In Talks With Rivals To Preload BBM

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Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) is reportedly in talks with other smartphone makers to preload BlackBerry Messenger service on their devices, told a top executive to CNET in an interview on Wednesday.

Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY) In Talks With Rivals To Preload BBM

“There is interest from other handset makers,” BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear told.

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) has been searching for methods to popularize its BBM service after it announced plans to allow the service on other operating systems also. As per the handset maker, its messaging service will be available on iOS and Android devices by this summer. However, the executive refused to reveal the exact date when the service will available on other platforms.

Why other platforms will be interested in BBM?

Tear opposed the belief that BBM was a ghost town as many users, primarily in the home market of North America, dumped BlackBerrys for iPhones and Android devices. Globally, BBM has around 61 million active user base and of those 70 percent use the service daily.

This according to Tear, is one of the main reason why other handset makers will be interested in getting BBM service on their platforms, though he refused to name specific companies.

Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY)’s Intentions

The objective behind Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) allowing its BBM service on other handsets is to entice non-BlackBerry users to at least start thinking of its devices. Also, the Canadian firm wants to expand the user base of its service at a time when the rival messaging services WhatsApp enjoy a user base of more than 200 million.

Some of the experts raised questions that allowing BBM service on other platforms may backfire as users might abandon their BlackBerry devices but keep their BBM accounts on rival devices.

However, Tear does not view this as a risk. “We don’t feel like that is a risk,” he said. “Obviously, if we did, we might have acted differently.”

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) executives are also confident on the new and improved BlackBerry 10 platform. The executives believe the new platform has enough to make the users stick to BlackBerry and at the same time will also attract new users, enticed by BBM, towards it.

“BBM is a strong platform that provides a different way of communicating,” he said.

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