Windows Phone users who have signed up for the BlackBerry Messenger beta can now go ahead and download the app, as it is now available in the Windows Phone store. Obviously, the app is not ready for prime time, and users should keep that in mind should they come across any form of problems.
BlackBerry has found itself in an increasingly difficult position to the point where the company was forced to share its popular BBM platform with smartphone users outside the BlackBerry ecosystem. The company's free voice and chatting platform was first made available on iOS and Android, but due to Windows Phone's low-market share, it wasn't a done deal if it would come to the platform.
The move to Android and iOS added 40 million users to the BBM ecosystem by the end of 2013. By becoming a part of the Windows Phone community, the BBM ecosystem should gain a few more millions.
At the moment, the BBM app for Windows Phone is experiencing several issues. For example, whenever the user goes out of Wi-Fi range, invites and acceptances are not sent. In addition, some emoticons fail to render properly, though we doubt many people would find this as troubling.
Furthermore, the Windows Phone version of the app doesn't yet support voice calling, but for some reason the app shows that this feature is available.
As time goes by, we expect BlackBerry improve on the experience though it might depend on how many Windows Phone users have chosen to use the app.
The idea to bring BBM to third-party platforms is not only a difficult decision for BlackBerry, but it also shows a company that is thinking more openly and realizing that the smartphone world no longer revolves around the BlackBerry platform.
Additionally, with the rise of several instant messenger apps, which includes WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts, it is clear that BBM is no longer as important as it used to be. Instead of leaving what is deemed as a great and one of the first mobile messaging apps to die, BlackBerry made the right choice by sharing it with others.
