BlackBerry Adds Private Chat Feature To BBM

BlackBerry (BBRY) is making it easier for BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) users to host private chats on their BlackBerry 10, Android and iOS mobile devices.

The telecommunications giant has added a private chat feature to BBM, along with other capabilities designed to enhance the user experience.

BlackBerry said its BBM private chat feature offers users:

The private chat feature is included in BBM’s new Privacy and Control Subscription, BlackBerry said, which replaces its existing Timed and Retracted Messages Subscription.

In addition, BlackBerry noted that current Timed and Retracted Messages subscribers will be automatically upgraded at no additional cost.

What else should mobile device users expect from the new version of BBM? This release includes:

BlackBerry recorded $658 million in total revenue during the first quarter of fiscal 2016, down from $660 million in the previous quarter.

John Chen, BlackBerry’s CEO, told International Data Corp (IDC) that he expected his company would ship 10 million smartphones this year, which would represent a 72 percent increase over the company’s 5.8 million units shipped in 2014.

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