This is actually great news, and I hope the progress and development only gets better.
Let's face it, for BB users, they generally love BBM. Losing it on another phone is usually one of their top 3 gripes. Having to run multiple chat apps is not difficult, just an inconvenience.
This has potential to basically unify most of the platforms on a single chat app (even if neutered in other os's). I've tried google talk in the past, and I'm not going to pay for the trillian app for my phone either. I still very much prefer BBM most days.
You can count me as looking forward to this.
Research In Motion wants to play nice with the Android and iOS mobile operating systems - at least when it comes to BlackBerry Messenger.
According to Boy Genius Report and its “multiple trusted sources,” RIM will bring the popular (and so far exclusive) BBM app to the Android Market and the iTunes App Store. At least eventually.
The Android version is expected to “launch some time this year” for sure, but details are less certain when it comes to prepping this app for iOS. That’s not terribly surprising considering Apple’s extra-strict app application process.
While this sounds fun and all, obviously it’s not going to be the same as experiencing BBM on an actual BlackBerry. This app will be a stripped-down version that will focus on pure messaging and lack “photos, location, or videos.”
One has to wonder then why you’d want to use BBM on an Android or iOS device at all. But if you have a BlackBerry handed out by your employer but want to BBM from your personal smartphone not running on BlackBerry OS, then this might fit your fancy.
Related coverage on ZDNet:
OR... Maybe RIM could make a nice new more powerful touch screen blackberry and release it on all carriers? 
