Skip to main content

BBM hits 10m iOS and Android downloads in 24 hours, tops app store charts worldwide

BBM for iOS and Android got off to a flying start Tuesday, with BlackBerry reporting more than 10 million downloads during the free app’s first 24 hours of availability.

Keen to impart some upbeat BlackBerry-related news – there hasn’t been too much of it about recently – the company’s executive vice president Andrew Bocking took to the official BlackBerry blog to thank customers, employees, and partners for their “enthusiasm and commitment” in getting BBM for iOS and Android off the ground, even if the process didn’t go as smoothly as he might have liked.

Recommended Videos

The rush to download the instant messaging app saw it shoot to the top of app charts in more than 75 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK,bbm app chart Indonesia and most of the Middle East, the executive said, adding, “We have also seen overwhelmingly positive reviews on Google Play and the App Store. In fact, BBM has earned 60,000 five-star reviews on Google Play from about 87,000 reviews.”

All that and the app isn’t even running at full throttle yet – Bocking promised that BBM features found on the BlackBerry 10 version of the app, including BBM Video, BBM Voice, and BBM Channels, would be coming to the iOS and Android versions “in the near future,” along with other new features.

Although over 10 million people have downloaded the app, a portion of those will be doing little more than simply staring expectantly at the BBM icon, with BlackBerry having opted for a little-by-little approach to activating new BBM accounts in an effort to ease the pressure on its servers. Considering the huge interest in the app, this looks to have been a wise decision.

After downloading BBM, you’re prompted to enter your email address to hold your place in line. Once you hit the front, BlackBerry sends an email to let you know the app is ready for use. Presumably this system will be dropped once demand begins to ease up, allowing downloaders to dive straight in.

Of course, with so much competition out there in the instant messaging space, there’s no guarantee BBM will become the app of choice for iOS and Android users, but the degree of early interest certainly shows people are keen to take it for a spin to see how it stacks up against the competition. How’s it looking for you? 

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
3 big iOS 19 changes that I hope Apple reveals at WWDC 2025
iOS 19 sample logo.

We’re less than two days away from Apple’s big WWDC 2025 keynote, where the company will reveal new versions of each of its software platforms. One of the biggest changes this year is the expected shift from iOS 19 to iOS 26, with new versions of macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS also set to follow suit. We're also expecting to see the evolution of Apple Health, including a new AI doctor and Health subscription.

iOS 26, if it is to be named that, is expected to introduce one of the biggest evolutions in design for Apple software since the first iPhone was launched. Inspired by visionOS and the Apple Vision Pro, it’s expected to be a monumental redesign, but I hope that Apple also takes the time to make a few improvements.

Read more
The OnePlus Pad 3 is one of the best tablets I’ve used, here’s why
The back of the OnePlus Pad 3.

Android smartphones have long competed with, and in some cases, surpassed, the iPhone, but the same can’t be said for tablets. Android makers have long harbored ambitions to compete with the iPad in the category that Apple created, dating back to the launch of the first Galaxy Tab, which occurred 15 years ago.

Yet, the iPad remains the best tablet for most people. The iPad Pro M4 ushered in the tandem OLED era as Apple stacked two OLED displays for an incredibly immersive experience. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was the first to compete and offers the same great experience you can find on Galaxy phones, but with a few compromises.

Read more
How to watch today’s WWDC keynote, and 3 reasons to do so
You can livestream the WWDC 2025 keynote for free
Apple WWDC 2025 logo

Apple’s WWDC 2025 (Worldwide Developer’s Conference) starts today. In case you didn't already know, WWDC is an annual event used by the tech giant to showcase new software and technologies across its product ecosystem, while also providing developers with sessions and tools to help them build apps for Apple's devices.

How to watch the WWDC 2025 keynote

Read more