14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion announced the availability of BlackBerry Messenger 6 (BBM 6), an application that provides users with the ability to easily stay connected to one another. The new software release comes with support for “BBM connected” apps, so that users can also interact from within applications that offer BBM integration.
“BBM 6 marks the beginning of an even greater social experience for BlackBerry smartphone users,” said Alistair Mitchell, VP, BBM Platform & Integrated Services at Research In Motion.
With the new software release, RIM provides developers with the possibility to leverage the BBM service to make their applications more appealing through the addition of new features and capabilities into the mix.
BBM connected apps offer the ability to use the BBM service to enable users stay connected from the application itself.
A BBM connected game, for example, would offer users the possibility to invite BBM friends to join the game, and will also enable them to chat while playing, all without having to leave the application.
Today, BBM 6 was made available along with a series of BBM connected apps already included in the BlackBerry App World.
Among the features that BBM connected applications would include, we can count: - Share app experiences with friends - When a user discovers a great new BBM connected app, they can instantly let their friends know about it. Users can simply select a BBM contact directly within the BBM connected app they are using.
- Have a BBM chat within apps - Users can simply pull up their BBM contact list directly from within the BBM connected app and start chatting. For example, the functionality can enable everything from enhanced social game play to collaboration through productivity apps.
- Discover apps through friends – Users can also discover new apps by viewing the list of apps that are posted to a BBM friend’s profile. They can also click on an app within the list, and instantly download it from BlackBerry App World.
The BlackBerry Messenger 6 software was made available for download from RIM's website here. Various BBM connected apps are expected to hit the BlackBerry App World as soon as this week, while more of them should become available in the coming months.
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