BBM Coming to iOS and Android

BlackBerry isn't just making announcements about devices and operating systems this morning. The company is also sharing news regarding its popular BlackBerry Messenger service.

Announced today at the BlackBerry Live event in Orlando, the company plans to bring the BBM service to iOS and Android users sometime this summer. The BBM apps are still subject to approval by Google Play and Apple App Store, so there is no definitive timeline or guarantee BBM will actually make it over to those platforms.

The BBM service for iOS and Android users will include most BBM features, including multi-person chats, voice sharing and BlackBerry Groups, which allows users to share calendars, photos and files with up to 30 people.

BlackBerry expects BBM to be released as a free app sometime this summer and will require iOS 6.0 or Android 4.0 to run.

The company also announced BBM Channels, which will be available on BlackBerry device immediately and should come to iOS and Android, along with voice and video chatting later this year. Channels allow users to connect with business, brands and a celebrities by subscribing to their BBM channel, similar to following them on Twitter.