BlackBerry will split Instant Messaging service BBM: Some executives are in place

In the early hours of August 28, Sina Science and technology news, according to the Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter said the BlackBerry was considering splitting its instant messaging service BBM into an independent subsidiary, named BBM Inc. People close to the situation said the BlackBerry split BBM because it wanted to position BBM as a valuable asset before the company was privatized. People familiar with the matter also said that BlackBerry has now swapped some of its top executives to the BBM team, which is developing other features, including video chats, besides instant messaging. Thorsten Heins, the BlackBerry's CEO, said in May this year that BBM would be landing the smartphone platform for the first time this summer, Tosten Heins the market share that was preempted by other instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp. BlackBerry said that up to now the number of BBM users of about 60 million, and WhatsApp active users have exceeded 200 million. People familiar with the matter said the BlackBerry would also formally launch its previously released channel service BBM channels, where brands and celebrities could create and manage their own channels to better interact with consumers and fans. In addition, BlackBerry or is considering the introduction of a desktop version of BBM. But a spokesman for the BlackBerry said: "We have previously announced plans to BBM on the Android and iOS platforms, and we have not announced any plans for a desktop version of BBM." "In the face of declining performance for years, the BlackBerry board decided to set up a special committee early this month to explore the company's future development strategy, including privatizing the company." Although BlackBerry has lost its competitive edge in the smartphone market, its BBM is still very popular around the world. As a result, BlackBerry's positioning for BBM will not be limited to instant messaging applications, but a broader range of internet companies like Twitter and Skype. "We believe that BBM has great potential for Android and iOS platforms," said a spokesman for the BlackBerry. Users have been looking for the best for their smartphone communications applications, their expectations of such services have become increasingly high, while they are more inclined to a simple, customized user interface, and BBM can meet these user needs well. "(Chen)