Just over a week ago BBM launched on iOS and Android to an amazing reception. It was an instant hit, quickly shooting to the top of the App Store and ultimately hitting number one in Google Play for Top New Free as well. BBM has seen well over 10 million downloads at this point and is still going strong.

BlackBerry has announced today that BBM has ended its first week with over 80 million active users, including 20 million new users from Android and iOS. 20 million new active users - that’s 20 million users who are actively using BBM, not just downloads. We’re not sure of the total installs, but given that the number of new active users is 20 million, we can only imagine that the total number of actual downloads is much higher. BlackBerry is smart to measure by active users as opposed to just download numbers so we can get a real gauge for the traction of BBM on other platforms. It doesn’t look like things are slowing down at all.

From Andrew Bocking, EVP of BBM:

“It is great to see so many people downloading BBM, but the true measurement for us is engagement – the connections being made and the conversations in which our BBM community engages. The power of BBM has always been the active, real conversations and interaction that our customers enjoy,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry. “From here on out, we will focus on active users of BBM and will no longer focus on simple download numbers.”

Awesome job for BBM and BlackBerry – we can’t wait to see how much more BBM takes off in the coming weeks, especially with the addition of BBM Voice, BBM Video and BBM Channels.

Press Release

BBM Community Grows to More Than 80 Million Active Users Across BlackBerry, Android and iPhone Devices Globally

Waterloo, ON – After the amazing launch of BBM™ on Android® and iPhone® devices, with more than 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours, BBM has now ended its first week with more than 80 million monthly active users*, including over 20 million new users on Android and iPhone devices.

During its first week, BBM was the top free overall app in 35 countries in Google Play™ and in 107 countries in the App StoreSM, and continues to maintain a strong position in key markets such as Canada, the US, the UK, Indonesia and much of the Middle East, to name a few.

“It is great to see so many people downloading BBM, but the true measurement for us is engagement – the connections being made and the conversations in which our BBM community engages. The power of BBM has always been the active, real conversations and interaction that our customers enjoy,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry. “From here on out, we will focus on active users of BBM and will no longer focus on simple download numbers.”

With the BBM community now at more than 80 million active users around the globe, users are connecting on the private social network like never before. This past weekend, BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) was able to remove the virtual line-up so that Android and iPhone users can now immediately download, sign in and start using BBM without having to wait.

BBM users are enjoying the immediacy and control that BBM offers as they chat with their new contacts – either one-to-one, in multi-person chats or as part of a BBM Group. The delivered and read statuses, as well as the message-in-progress alert, keep people engaged and active in conversations on BBM.  BBM users can also share files such as photos, and voice notes, as well as update their statuses with ease. BBM Groups allows photo, calendar, chat and file sharing for up to 30 people in a user-generated community.

Every BBM user has a unique PIN that helps maintains their privacy, so users never have to give out their phone number or email address to a new or casual contact. BlackBerry ID connects with a person’s PIN, BBM contact list and services to make device switching quick and easy.

The BBM experience will continue to evolve.  In the coming months, BlackBerry will deliver BBM Video calling, BBM Voice calling and BBM Channels – a new community building service to connect BBM users even more broadly – to Android and iPhone users.
http://www.ngtrends.com/2013/10/bbm-adds-20-million-active-users-first-week/#sthash.K1Vo5ubQ.uxfs

Thats all