BlackBerry reveals when to expect BBM for Windows Phone

BlackBerry's CEO, John Chen, has given a clearer timeframe on when the company will launch its BBM app for Windows Phone, adding that some Lumia and Nokia X handsets will come with BBM pre-installed.

Andy Weir Senior News Editor Neowin @gcaweir · Mar 30, 2014 02:20 EDT · Hot! with 33 comments

Last month, at the unveiling of its first Android handsets, Nokia announced that it had successfully negotiated with BlackBerry to bring that company's BlackBerry Messenger app to Windows Phone.

Prior to that, BlackBerry had given no indication that it was even interested in launching software for Windows Phone, the rival platform that has pushed it into fourth place in the smartphone market. Indeed, as recently as January, the company reiterated that it had "no plans" for Microsoft's mobile OS.

Now, though, those plans are very much in the works, but the exact release date remains ambiguous. The latest information, which comes via TechCrunch, was revealed by BlackBerry CEO John Chen in a company earnings call this week. Chen said that the app is targeted for "Fiscal Q2" - the second quarter in the company's fiscal year - indicating that it could arrive as early as May 2014, or as late as July.

Chen also said that BBM will be pre-loaded onto Nokia X Android handsets and certain Lumia devices in selected markets, once BBM finally launches on Windows Phone.

Source: TechCrunch via WMPowerUser