BLACKBERRY Limited, a global leader in mobile communications, announced an update of BBM, a leading mobile messaging platform for private and secure communications, that allows customers to further personalize and enhance their chat experiences. Available for download from the respective app stores for the Android, BlackBerry and iOS platforms, BBM will now offer stickers – larger, bolder and more expressive images than emoticons – that BBM users can add to their BBM chats. Customers will be able to purchase and download sticker packs from the new BBM Shop found in BBM. “Stickers are another great example of how we're making the BBM experience more engaging and fun for our customers,” said David Proulx, Senior Director, BBM at BlackBerry. “Stickers let you personalize your chats and strike the right chord with people around the world who rely on stickers in chats when they connect with colleagues, family, friends, peers and partners.” BBM customers will be able to download a variety of sticker packs right inside BBM from the BBM Shop. Each sticker pack contains between 20 and 25 stickers and features content developed by talented artists or relating to a theme or a character like CosCat, Gilbert's Tales or Bubble Bot, as well as sticker packs featuring content from popular brands including Shaun the Sheep and WWE. To start, sticker packs will either be offered for free, or cost US $1.99, or an approximate equivalent amount in the local currency, and will be billed through the device's app store. With WrestleMania 30 just around the corner, WWE is planning to give away a free sticker pack to its fans through BBM. In addition, a free sticker pack created by BlackBerry featuring favorite BBM emoticons will be available to all BBM customers that download the new update. BlackBerry plans to add new sticker packs on a regular basis. In addition to stickers, BBM customers can now easily share photos in multi-person chats. Photos will be delivered in the chat as a thumbnail that can be opened to reveal the image in full size. BBM customers can also now send higher quality photos, videos and presentations thanks to larger in-chat file transfers. Files up to 16MB can now be shared in a chat, an increase of 10MB. BBM continues to connect friends, family and colleagues across a myriad of mobile networks, as the standard for mobile instant messaging with a fast, reliable, and engaging experience that puts control of privacy and personal information back in the customers' hands. — SG
