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BlackBerry Messenger
BlackBerry® Messenger is an instant messaging app just for BlackBerry smartphone owners. With an active user base of over 50+ million, BBM™ has become one of the largest mobile-centric communities in the industry. Over 2 million new users join the BBM community each month. The BBM community is very active, with over 70% of users using it daily and over 100 billion BBM messages sent every month.1
Get started creating apps using the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform
Steps to Install Development Environment |
Java Application Development |
BlackBerry WebWorks Development for BlackBerry Smartphones |
1) Review the Getting Started Guide |
View the BlackBerry® WebWorks™ SDK for Smartphones Getting Started Guide |
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2) Download required software |
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3) Download the BBM™ SDK |
Download the BBM SDK v1.3 for BlackBerry Java® |
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4) Verify the version of BlackBerry Messenger installed on a BlackBerry smartphone |
BBM SDK Dependence Checker for BlackBerry WebWorks |
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5) Download a BBM v6.1 enabled simulator 9300(5.0.0.1076) 9800(6.0.0.313) 9900(7.0.0.236) (9900 simulator is currently not supported for WebWorks) |
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6) Apps using the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform are only supported by v6.1 of the BlackBerry Messenger app. Download BlackBerry Messenger v6.1. |
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7) Review software documentation |
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Develop with BBM
Advantages of a mobile-centric community
With a mobile centric-community, developers can take advantage of instant social interactions:
- Always-on and always instant: BBM will revolutionize applications, whether they’re gaming, music or commerce apps
- Anytime and anywhere: BBM enables instantaneous sharing of location information
- Anytime camera: bring real-time media and video streaming to your apps
Advantages of the BlackBerry Messenger platform
The BBM platform offers a number of benefits for developers:
- Increased engagement and app stickiness: add an addicting social element to your apps by allowing users to connect with old and new friends
- Increased discoverability: with over 45 million users worldwide, word about your application can travel fast in the BBM community
- Increased monetization: developing apps with BBM functionality will increase engagement, discoverability and virality—all key factors for increasing revenues and profits
BBM platform APIs
Developers can use a variety of APIs to give their apps read to BBM contact lists, user profiles, while enabling users of their apps to chat and share files such as pictures, voice notes, videos and music.
BBM contact list, user profiles and invitations
- Invite BBM contacts to download your app or initiate a social interaction within your app
- Determine which BBM contact has downloaded your app
- Access user profile info such as avatar, status and location
Application box in user profiles
- Add a customizable application box to a user's BBM profile to broadcast achievements or provide updates
Content/chat from application to BBM
- Initiate embedded chats with BBM contacts from within your app
- Share content with BBM contacts from within your apps
Content/chat from application to application
- Create sub-communities within your application, even if the users are not pre-existing BBM contacts
- Enable social interactions within your sub-communities
Streaming data between applications
- Stream data between users of your applications for real-time use cases such as communication, gaming and location tracking
Enter Your App in the Developer
Challenge
Learn about the BlackBerry
Developer Challenge
2011 competitions.
Discover Developer
Resources
Access a number of resources,
including simulators,
videos and labs.
1 Based on six month data for the period ending May 2011.