BlackBerry Live Keynote: Q5, BBM News, and More

The show briefly went into reassurance mode once again, with CMO Frank Boulben and Global Creative Director Alicia Keys taking the stage and outlining BlackBerry's marketing and outreach initiatives, including the Keep Moving Campaign. But Heins eventually came back to announce the last couple of the strategically-placed reveals. One of the most popular aspects of the platform, BBM, will soon be receiving a new feature called BBM Channels, which is something akin to Twitter via BBM.

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton was trotted out to introduce BBM Channels, which allows users to subscribe to channels (or scan QR codes) to follow particular celebrities or groups. Users will then be messaged news and updates through BBM, or they can send BBMs to the channel, opening up a direct line of communication between users and their interests. BBM Channels is launching in beta today, with channels for the Goo Goo Dolls, Teagan and Sara, Alicia Keys, and Kidz Bop. The channels will be updated every two to four weeks before the network undergoes its commercial launch this summer.

Heins arguably saved the biggest news for last, announcing before closing out the show that BBM would be coming to iOS and Android. Though he did not provide an exact launch date, he said that it would be coming this summer and would be released for free. Heins did add, of course, that the most "premium" and integrated BBM experience would still only be available on BlackBerry devices (this includes BBM Channels).

"We're creating, we're innovating, and we're executing against our vision," said Heins before signing off. "BlackBerry 10 is here."