Last month, BlackBerry inked a deal with several small-name Android vendors that would see BBM preloaded on select devices. And now, via CrackBerry, we learn that BlackBerry has scored its biggest win with BBM yet, as LG has agreed to preload the messaging service on its G Pro Lite budget smartphones. BBM’s success on the iOS App Store was immediate and noteworthy, but the app hasn’t yet caught fire on Google Play to quite the same degree. By preloading LG devices with BBM, BlackBerry has a chance to sway Android users its way before they even have to chance to discover the other popular chat apps on the market. The full press release follows below.
The G Pro Lite Will Be the First LG Device to Offer BBM Out-of-the-box
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Dec. 18, 2013) – BBM(TM) will soon come preinstalled on the LG G Pro Lite from LG Electronics Inc. in markets around the world. BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced a bundling agreement with LG Electronics involving both standard and virtual preloading (using the LG App Manager) and confirmed that BBM will also continue to be available as a free download from Android app stores, including Google Play(TM).
“BBM is widely used throughout the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia where smartphone users tend to engage heavily in social networking,” said Kevin Shin, Vice President of Marketing for Asia, the Middle East and CIS countries of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Pro Lite offers an optimized BBM experience with its large, high quality display and embedded Stylus Pen.”
“People across the globe are using BBM to connect with each other and the enthusiasm has been phenomenal,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry. “We’re extremely pleased that LG Electronics will help bring their customers a more seamless experience with BBM by preloading the app, starting with the G Pro Lite in key markets.”
BBM is a premier mobile communication service that gives customers privacy, control and immediacy as they chat with their contacts – either one-to-one, in multiple chats or as part of a BBM Group. BBM’s Delivered and Read statuses, as well as message-in-progress notices, keep people engaged and active in their conversations.
BBM lets users share files such as photos and voice notes, as well as update their profile and status with ease. Up to 30 people can connect as a BBM Group to chat and share photos, calendars and other files or documents.
Every BBM user has a unique PIN tied to their BlackBerry ID that helps maintains their privacy. Users never have to give out their phone number or email address to begin chatting with a new or casual contact.
The BBM experience will continue to evolve for Android and iPhone(R) users in the coming months, with updates that will include support for BBM Channels, a new service that connects 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.
