 "Micromax, Celkon, Spice and Zen to pre-install BBM")
At least four Indian Android-based smartphone makers will pre-install BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) starting next month. The list includes Celkon, Micromax, Spice and Zen.
Other OEMs across Africa, India, Indonesia, Latin America and the Middle East will also be pre-installing BBM - Be, Brightstar, EVERCOSS, IMO, Mito, Snexian, TECNO and iPhone are part of the list of new BBM partners. The pre-installation plan is in addition to BBM continuing to be available as a free download from Android app stores, including Google Play.
“The uptake we have seen for BBM since the launch on Android and iPhone is amazing,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry.
“At Micromax, we have built a strong mobile ecosystem for our users, which builds a strong connection with the brand by democratising technology for masses in India. Offering BBM, one of the most popular mobile messaging services, pre-loaded on our smartphones is another great example of how Micromax has built a bouquet of services for our customers to connect and communicate seamlessly,” said Rahul Sharma Co-Founder Micromax. “We have now preloaded BBM on the new Canvas Turbo and the initial response from our consumers has been overwhelmingly positive. BBM will now be preloaded in the entire future range of Canvas phones.”
Clearly, while BBM has already surprised most naysayers by adding more than 20 million new active users within the first week of its release on Android and iOS, BlackBerry will look for inorganic growth too through such pre-installations that may most likely require BlackBerry to pay these OEMs for pre-installations.
[caption id=“attachment_1251515” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image.[/caption]
While BBM is a long way behind WhatsApp, its main competitor in India, BlackBerry expects BBM’s USPs that gives customers privacy, control and immediacy as they chat with their contacts to win the mobile Instant Messenger war. These USPs include BBM’s Delivered and Read statuses, as well as message-in-progress notices, and the fact that every BBM user has a unique PIN tied to their BlackBerry ID and hence never has to give out their phone number or e-mail address to begin chatting with a new or casual contact. In addition, no one can add a contact without their consent and in case of issues where a contact has to be deleted, if A removes B from their BBM contact list, it results in instant vice-versa removal of A from B’s BBM contact list too .
According to BlackBerry, the BBM experience will continue to evolve for Android and iPhone users in the coming months, with updates that will include support for BBM Channels, a new service that will connect BBM users to communities of shared interests in a very engaging and intimate manner, as well as support for BBM Voice calling and BBM Video calling.
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