BlackBerry has taken another step that indicates it is transitioning its iconic BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app from instant messaging (IM) to social networking, by adding a new feature that allows users to find friends and contacts already using BBM.
Similar to how users find friends and add them on Facebook, BlackBerry's new Find Friends feature picks up which friends and people in a device's contact list are already using BBM, and allows users to choose who to send a PIN invite to.
In addition to this - as with many other IM and social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, WeChat and Instagram - users can invite contacts who do not have BBM to download the app, by sending an e-mail or SMS invitation.
The BBM update that adds the Find Friends feature started rolling out at 11am Eastern Time yesterday (4pm SA time) on iPhone, and will be rolled out to Android devices at the same time today. BlackBerry notes the app update may take over 24 hours to appear on users' devices.
BlackBerry says Find Friends will appear the first time BBM is opened after the update is complete. "Users will also find it under the 'invites' tab menu in the bottom left hand corner of BBM."
BBM vs WhatsApp
BlackBerry announced it would open up its IM app - previously exclusive to BlackBerry users - in May last year. BBM has been one of the smartphone maker's key differentiating factors and a popular service in emerging markets in particular.
However, recent statistics suggest rival IM apps - WhatsApp in particular - are quashing its popularity. According to a World Wide Worx report, released in November, the uptake of WhatsApp in SA more than doubled its penetration over the preceding 18 months, from 26% to 53%.
The research firm also found Facebook Chat to be the second most popular chat app, with 45% of respondents using it, followed by Mxit with 25% of the respondents on its platform. BBM grew a marginal 4%, going from 17% to 21%.
This disparity is also evident when looking at the WhatsApp and BBM Facebook pages, with WhatsApp displaying over 4.5 million likes, while BBM has just above 700 858 (at the time of publication).
Last year, when BBM became available for download by iPhone and Android users, the app grew from 60 million to 80 million users worldwide within the first week. BBM was made available to Android and iPhone users on 21 October and, according to BlackBerry, the IM app saw over 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours.
BlackBerry says BBM v2.0 will also launch soon, and will feature "lots" of new features.
Channelling users
Hand-in-hand with BlackBerry's big announcement that it would make BBM available for iPhone and Android users, the company also revealed the platform would soon feature a Facebook-like social media interface, BBM Channels.
BBM Channels - a new social engagement platform within BBM, set to allow users to connect and engage with businesses, brands and celebrities - was added to the Android BBM app, in beta, last month.
At the time, BlackBerry said it was committed to ultimately offering BBM Channels across BlackBerry, iPhone and Android devices. "BBM Channels lives in BBM, so BBM Channels will be available in the latest version of BBM, when released."
* According to BlackBerry, the BBM Find Friends feature is already available on BlackBerry smartphones.