The rumored June 27 release window has long passed, but BlackBerry Messenger for Android and iOS is apparently still on track to hit before the end of the summer. Today the multi-platform version of the messaging app has inched closer to release, with the news that it’s now in beta testing among a select group of users.
CrackBerry’s Adam Zeis writes —
Invitations have gone out for BBM for Android but we’re not sure what the status is with iOS. There were no real details provided with the invites aside from needed at least ICS to run the app … We’ll most likely see more on the actual app very soon now that it’s out in the open so don’t worry too much.
As such, a handful of images have leaked out online showing parts of the UI — the first from BGR showing a sign-in screen, the second from BlackBerryOS giving a closer look at the nuts and bolts once you’re logged in. On the face of it, it looks a lot like BlackBerry Hub from BB10, complete with swipe-out gestures for menus on the left and right.
So it looks the multi-platform versions of BBM are hitting the late stages of testing. But it’ll face strong competition from native messaging clients on both Android and iOS when it does eventually launch. Would you be tempted away from Hangouts, Skype and other messaging services by a cross-platform BBM? Hit the comments and let us know.
Source: BGR, BBOS; via: CrackBerry