It is an act of desperation on the part of BlackBerry makers to make BBM available to Android and iOS users. Millions of people bought BlackBerry just because of the over-bloated hype associated with BBM, but now the grandeur of BlackBerry has been punctured. I can tell you they had no choice but to make make BBM cross-platform.

Now let me tell the real reason Research in Motion [RIM] the makers of BlackBerry has taken such a decision:

First, I must state that it is not an act of kindness that BBM is now multi-platform. In fact, it is a hysterical attempt at remaining relevant in the mobile telephony world. BlackBerry is dying; she recorded a second-quarter fall of about $1b in revenue as a result of unsold phones. So, they believe that making BBM available to other platform users will boost the valuation of the company in case it would be bought by another company.

Their decision was inevitable if they must remain in the instant messaging market. WhatsApp says it has over 200 million users, while BlackBerry Messenger has about 60 million users. There is power in these numbers. The world seemed to be moving away from BBM. If RIM had not taken the decision to open up the barriers built around BBM, they would have been lost in the future....... Now it is open, BBM users will increase colossally, which will add to the valuation of the company. If Blackberry were making huge profits they would never have considered removing the veil they placed on BBM.

In conclusion, the move is a commendable one. It will widen the scope of social friends' base, and keep some BlackBerry products relevant. And I hope to see positive results in the fortunes of BlackBerry soon, either in the hands of the current management or the hands of a new management that may buy the company.

What is your take? Do you think this move will bring any success to BlackBerry and Research in Motion?