The company claims that its service is better than other IM solutions out there

Mar 15, 2014 22:01 GMT  ·  By
BlackBerry Messenger is one of the most secure IM services out there, BlackBerry claims
   BlackBerry Messenger is one of the most secure IM services out there, BlackBerry claims

BlackBerry’s devices might not be the most sought for out there at the moment, but the company does have products that still stir the interest of tens of millions of users, and BlackBerry Messenger is one of them.

Ever since being released on Android and iOS devices, BBM has become one of the most used communications channels for smartphone users, much to the benefit of the beleaguered handset vendor.

As the popularity of the service increased, so did interest in its security and privacy capabilities, especially when comparing them to those of rival products out there, and BlackBerry has stepped up to say that it has what it takes to deliver in these areas.

The company has published a post on its official blog to tout the privacy and security features that BBM users can enjoy, while also comparing them to those included in other IM apps / services out there.

The post comes only days after the WhatsApp Messenger was said to pack a major security flaw through saving conversations on the microSD card, thus allowing applications to access them (the company, however, claims that these reports are exaggerated).

“This week we saw a report that talked about how other IM apps that store chats in the shared storage space of your smartphone could leave them vulnerable to compromise,” BlackBerry notes.

“BBM has always put security at the forefront. […]On Android, BBM runs and stores all its data within the internal secure storage of the Android sandbox providing higher security than other IM apps that store their database in the shared storage space of the device.”

At the same time, the company notes that BBM runs and stores all data within the iOS app sandbox on all Apple devices it is compatible with, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Moreover, BBM will enjoy increased security on mobile devices with the launch of BBM Protected this summer (it will add a new security layer to messages through encrypting them on the sender’s device and decrypting them only when reaching the receiver’s phone).

Privacy is yet another feature that BlackBerry is proud of when it comes to BBM, noting that this is not only the concern of users, and that its app and service were built to enhance this area as well.

“BBM has always come with privacy features built in. It’s in our DNA. The unique PIN number assigned to each BBM user allows them to choose to connect anonymously or without divulging details like their phone number or email address,” BlackBerry explains.

“The double opt in process for becoming contacts ensures that both parties are willing participants in the conversation and agree to let each other in to their respective inner circles. Furthermore, BBM has always made it easy to govern your contact list by allowing you to block and or delete contacts at any time.”

Moving forth, BlackBerry promises additional features and capabilities to enhance the security and privacy of its service, claiming that this is one of the top priorities when it comes to BBM.

More innovation will come to the Messenger, to provide users with even more security and to allow them to better control their privacy. Moreover, new experiences to get people to better connect with their friends are also planned for the service.