BlackBerry Ltd NASDAQ:BBRY TSE:BB is taking a dig on the iMessage spam reports and is promoting its secured messaging service BBM. As reported by Wired last week, spam messages in iMessage are headache for the users. The Canadian smartphone maker was quick to utilize the opportunity by posting five reasons on its blog, why customers should switch from iMessage to BBM.
BlackBerry gives greater control to users
First reason suggested by BlackBerry was the architecture of BBM that safeguards 85 million users against spammers. Anyone having iPhone user’s number or ID can send a message to iPhone compared to BBM, where users have more options and greater control over, who sends them messages and who to invite and accept.
BBM is spam free due to its self-policing system. A BBM user can control the contact list, and no one can send a message to a particular BBM user without his or her wish. BlackBerry said in its blog that one cannot control someone from approaching his house, but he has a free will to let that person in or keep the door closed. Likewise in BBM, someone can send a request but it’s not necessary to add him.
Further, BlackBerry mentioned that privacy is the major cause of concern with iMessage and spam. With BBM, the privacy of the user is intact as only approved contacts are allowed to send a message. BBM service is protected with an advanced layer of encryption. The added security saves the messages from getting hacked while they are still transmitting. If at all there are any unwanted ads or spam, the BBM user can block a person from the contact list and foil further attempts to message in the future.
Provides cross-platform security
On its blog, the company also wrote that BBM anti-spam features are active across platform. Every BBM user has distinctive pin that is exclusive to the user irrespective of the device or platform. BBM works on every platform including iOS, Windows Phone and Android. Contrary to BBM, Apple iMessage is only available on iPhone.
In all, BlackBerry is claiming BBM to be a safer and intact platform compared to iMessage as it allows the user to ward off spammers.
“A year ago, Tom Landesman—who works for security and anti-spam company Cloudmark—had never seen an iMessage spam. But he and his company now say that, thanks to one particularly aggressive campaign from a junk mailer, it accounts for more than 30 percent of all mobile spam messages,” the company said in its blog.
