Larry Magid: BlackBerry Messenger Available On Competing Devices

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Research In Motion is making its BlackBerry Messenger service available on competing devices.

CEO Thorsten Heins spoke at the BlackBerry Live Conference in Orlando where he said iPhone and Android versions will be available for free.

I think it's a risky move because some people might abandon their BlackBerry and figure they'll just use the iPhone or Android for their messaging purposes. But I think it makes BlackBerry Messenger that much more useful.

If you are a BlackBerry user, now you can talk to all of your friends who have Androids and iPhones making the device that much more useful. He's basically building a broader platform, which is ultimately good for the company.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

In:
• iPhone