With the November launch and BlackBerry A10 release date closing in, BB just rolled out its BlackBerry Messenger, aka BBM, in beta. The upgraded version is equipped with support for iOS and Android devices, marking the first time the Canada-based telecommunications company has extended its messaging service beyond its own BlackBerry branded handsets.
According to BB fan site BlackBerryOS, “The program is not available for everyone, but if you have received an email… you’ll find it available under Eligible Programs. Much like it will be when it goes official, the beta version of BBM for Android requires v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich); while the beta BBM for iPhone requires iOS 6 as a minimum requirement.”
And if you have yet to receive, or haven’t received, the invitation fret not. BBM is expected to hit both Google Play and the App Store sometime in August or September, though there has been no official confirmation date named at this point in time. The BlackBerry A10 smartphone, BB’s next-generation flagship, will launch in November on Sprint.
The A10 is BB’s foray into the high-end handset market. It’s QWERTY devices are essentially obsolete and ought to be considered antiquity given the direction manufacturers are taking, but BB will still be manufacturing keypad devices. The BlackBerry A10, though, could be a game-changer for the flailing company.
According to The Verge, “The A10 is rumored to have a 5-inch AMOLED display, a dual-core processor, and 2GB of RAM.” As for features, we learned from BlackBerry Live that the A10 will run on BB’s flagship BlackBerry 10 os which includes highlights like real-time updates, easy slide features, and multitasking gesture integration.
There’s been no word yet on price points for the A10, though a November launch is imminent. A CNet report back in early June notes interestingly that Sprint had the opportunity to stake a claim to similarly equipped BlackBerry Z10 touchscreen handset but opted instead for the A10, which could mean it’s a generally more powerful device with more engaging features.
[Screenshot via Mac Rumors]
