BBM was scheduled to launch on Android and iOS devices over the past weekend, marking the service’s expansion beyond BlackBerry’s own hardware. However, the release was quickly cut short due to technical issues with no word on when it might re-launch.
The company’s most recent setback clearly isn’t enough to slow down BBM’s expansion. The messaging service is one of the company’s few remaining valuable assets, and bringing it to desktop computers will help give BlackBerry an edge over competing apps like WhatsApp, which only works on mobile devices. The company still has to face off with iMessage, Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts, however, all of which work on both mobile and desktop, and have massive built-in user bases.
Viber today made the leap from smartphone to desktop. The free messaging/phone service is now available on PC and Mac computers, allowing seamless integration between mobile and desktop users. The move comes alongside news that Viber has more than 200 million users across various platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry.
Viber Desktop runs in harmony with mobile versions, completing the setup process using your existing phone number as your ID. "With Viber Desktop you always get to use the most convenient device. You can seamlessly switch devices while messaging and even transfer calls between your mobile and desktop." - Viber CEO Talmon Marco.
The computer-based version was built from the ground up, but keeps in line with some of its mobile counterpart's features, including easy activation — enter your cell phone number and the confirmation code sent by Viber via SMS, then access all of your contacts, which are synced between devices.
Viber Desktop is Viber's first application to offer video calls," the company's release said. "With this new beta feature, users can now make desktop-to-desktop video calls to other Viber users."
Viber's desktop release is part of the roll out of Viber 3.0, which includes major updates to the Android and iOS apps, as well as a new version for BlackBerry, all of which connect easily with the desktop platform. Users will find new video message capabilities, last-online status, new stickers, an enhanced photo experience, performance improvements, and a new voice engine. Viber also now speaks eight new languages, including Dutch, Korean, Swedish, and Turkish.
Check out the Viber Desktop service in action in the video below.
Download Viber Desktop for Windows and Mac via the links below or visit viber.com
