We’ve known about the cross-platform launch of BlackBerry Messenger since May, but one thing we haven’t been able to nail down was an exact release date.
Despite previous reports that BlackBerry Messenger would be coming to both iOS and Android by summer’s end, a new report places the time for release in September.
“The service is coming to Android this summer,” said Sunil Lalvani, managing director for BlackBerry India. “But summer as per North America, where it remains till September.”
When asked if that means the BBM version for Android will roll out prior to the end of September, Lalvani said it did. Lalvani did not, however, confirm whether the iOS version would be released simultaneously or at a later date.
Once it’s released, BlackBerry Messenger will be thrust into a very crowded messaging market alongside other cross-platform, over-the-top messaging services such as WhatsApp Messenger, KakaoTalk, Kik Messenger, and Viber. Whether the formerly BlackBerry OS exclusive service can hold its own against the other services remains to be seen, but seeing as how the service has 42.7 million active users worldwide as of May, it’s certainly not having to start from scratch.