Blackberry Messenger
| Blackberry Messenger
|
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Basic data
|
|
| developer | Blackberry |
| Current version | 8.1.0.20 (up to Blackberry OS 7.1) 10.16.7.2 varies ( Android ) 300.0.26.242 ( iOS ) |
| operating system |
Blackberry OS from 4.5, Android from 2.3, iOS from 8.1 |
| category | Instant messaging |
| License | Freemium |
| German speaking | Yes |
| bbm.com | |
BlackBerry Messenger (abbreviated BBM ) was an instant messaging - service of the company BlackBerry . The associated software was preinstalled on all Blackberry devices. In October 2013, the service was also released for Android and iOS devices so that it could be used for cross-platform communication.
On April 18, 2019, the discontinuation of the consumer version of the formerly market-dominating service was announced as of May 31 of the same year. Only the paid enterprise version of the messenger, with messages encrypted end-to-end, is still in operation. It should initially be available free of charge for 12 months for advertising purposes. Regardless of this measure, the messenger lost a large part of the remaining users when the consumer version was abandoned.
Origin and development
BBM was originally developed by Research In Motion (now Blackberry) for communication between Blackberry branded devices and the Blackberry OS . A chat connection was established via the closed Blackberry network to which third party manufacturers had no access. As of version 6.0, third-party applications can also use the BBM infrastructure; the list of supported applications includes, for example, Foursquare and the Huffington Post .
On May 15, 2013, Blackberry announced that it would develop BBM as an app for Apple iOS and Android and release it in summer 2013. Blackberry's goal was to compete with other cross-platform instant messaging apps like WhatsApp . After the release date was postponed, the app appeared on October 22, 2013 and was downloaded over 10 million times in the first 24 hours after its release.
A version of BBM for Windows Phone was announced in February 2014 and released in July 2014. Two years later, in June 2016, Blackberry removed its Messenger from the Windows Store, presumably for cost reasons.
Functions
- Send and receive text messages of unlimited length
- Delivery and retrieval / read status notifications
- Sending of files of all kinds (e.g. pictures, voice messages, short films, music, PDF files, etc.)
- Groups for chats with multiple users and functions for sharing pictures, appointments and lists
- Communication in a game without changing the application
- Calls over WiFi or the cellular network
- Video calls via WiFi or the cellular network (only possible between two Blackberry devices, as of February 2014)
- "Channels" for sending messages, pictures, etc. to all subscribers to a channel at the same time
- See the screen of the chat partner (only possible between two Blackberry devices, as of July 2014)
- Execution of PayPal transactions between the chat partners
criticism
In February 2014, Stiftung Warentest rated the Blackberry Messenger as “very critical” with regard to data protection. This was justified with the fact that the tested Android and iOS versions transmitted user data partly unencrypted. The extent to which the messages sent were encrypted by the messenger could not be clarified.
The American civil rights organization Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) lists the service on their "Secure Messaging Scorecard". On this rating list, the service received one of seven rating points, namely for the encrypted transmission of the communication (whereby any unencrypted meta and user data were not taken into account). The lack of end-to-end encryption , perfect forward secrecy , identity verification of the conversation partners and (independent) audits were criticized .
Web links
- Official website (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Installation page for Blackberry. In: Blackberry World . Retrieved December 5, 2017 .
- ↑ Installation page for Android. In: Google Play . Retrieved August 24, 2017 .
- ↑ Preview page for iOS. In: App Store (iOS) . Retrieved January 10, 2018 .
- ↑ Bye Bye, BBM: BlackBerry Messenger is being discontinued Article on mobilegeeks.de, accessed on April 18, 2019.
- ↑ Blackberry Messenger: Version 6 brings integration into other apps
- ↑ Blackberry App World: Programs with BBM integration
- ↑ Denise Bergert: BlackBerry Messenger appears for iOS and Android. In: pcwelt.de . May 15, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2017 .
- ↑ Bernd Kling: BBM for Android and iOS downloaded 10 million times on the first day. zdnet.de, October 23, 2013, accessed on October 26, 2013 .
- ↑ Nadine Juliana Dressler: Blackberry Messenger soon for Windows Phone. In: winfuture.de. February 25, 2014, accessed February 27, 2017 .
- ↑ Florian Kalenda: BBM for Windows Phone generally available. In: zdnet.de. July 31, 2014, accessed February 27, 2017 .
- ^ Albert Jelica: BBM: BlackBerry Messenger disappears from the Windows Store. In: windowsarea.de. June 24, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2017 .
- ↑ Melanie Masson: Send and Receive Money with PayPal through BBM - Q&A with PayPal. In: Blackberry Blog. August 12, 2015, accessed August 24, 2017 .
- ↑ WhatsApp and alternatives: data protection in the test. Stiftung Warentest, February 26, 2014, accessed on February 28, 2014 .
- ↑ Secure Messaging Scorecard. In: Electronic Frontier Foundation. Accessed January 30, 2016 .