Research in Motion (RIM) has formally announced its BlackBerry Messenger Music service, which will be made commercially available later this year.
The service is currently in a closed beta trial, starting in Canada, the US and the UK. BBM Music is likely part of an attempt by RIM to improve its BlackBerry Messenger service as it competes with the mobile media platform strengths of rivals Apple and Android.
RIM's BlackBerry smartphones have been hit by a sharply declining market share in the US, even as the company has expanded sales in other parts of the world, partly because of BBM's popularity in emerging markets.
Mike Lazardis, president and co-CEO of Research in Motion, says: “More than 45 million customers already love the social communication benefits delivered through BBM, and we are thrilled to be extending the experience into a uniquely social and interactive music service.
“We have partnered with leading music companies to provide a 'full track' music-sharing and discovery experience that will provide users with quality music on demand, and allow them to connect with friends on a whole new level.”
“BBM Music is an easy-to-use cloud-based service that enables social and viral music discovery, by allowing users to build an evolving, community-based music library that is shared among their BBM Music friends,” says RIM in a statement.
“The size of the music library continues to grow as new friends join the community, and each user can select music from a catalogue with millions of songs from leading music companies - Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI.”
Social music
The service allows users to build a personal music profile with 50 favourite songs, and swapping out up to 25 songs a month.
“Up to 50 tracks from your personal profile are shared with your BBM Music Community, and each member of your community shares up to 50 songs from their profile with you,” says RIM, adding that the service allows for commenting on songs and playlists.
Offline listening is also enabled as music files can be saved directly on BlackBerry handsets.
From the backend, Omnifone, a cloud music service provider, is working with RIM to provide content management, music hosting and other features based on Omnifone's technology.
Rob Wells, president of global digital business for Universal Music, says: “A major component of online music continues to be about community, and the ability to discover new artists and music through word of mouth.”
Viral potential
“RIM and its large base of BlackBerry Messenger users represent an exciting platform for expanding the reach of commercial digital music around the world,” says Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business for Sony Music Entertainment.
“The combination of a premium music solution and instant messaging will enable viral music discovery and emphasise the social power of digital music. It also offers an effective way of serving younger consumers by integrating music into the fabric of an important hub of their digital activity.”
BlackBerry is currently the dominant smartphone brand in SA, and its success is widely attributed to the popularity of the BBM service among the youth.
The music service will be available on a monthly subscription, and is expected to cost $4.99 - but pricing may vary by country and will be announced upon availability in each country. No details are currently available on when the service will be available locally.
More information can be found on the BlackBerry Web site.
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