Messaging App Market & BBM's Rise - In 2005, instant messaging became as prevalent as email, particularly among young users, highlighting a shift in communication preferences [16] - Text messaging cost 10 cents per message, creating an opportunity for free, real-time messaging apps like BBM [1][33] - BBM launched on August 1, 2005, offering features like group chat, file sharing, and read receipts, resembling a full-fledged mobile IM client [34][35] - BBM's pin-to-pin messaging allowed read receipts, a novel feature at the time, enhancing user experience [35] BBM's Peak & Decline - By 2010, BlackBerry faced increasing competition from Android, marking a turning point in its market dominance [40] - BBM introduced features like BBM Music for $4.99 per month, attempting to create a sticky ecosystem [37][38] - In 2013, BBM had approximately 60 million users, but WhatsApp already had 300 million users, indicating a significant market shift [44] - BlackBerry considered spinning off BBM as BBM Inc, aiming to compete with WhatsApp and Skype [44] Strategic Missteps & Missed Opportunities - BlackBerry executives chose to keep BBM exclusive to BlackBerry devices, hindering its potential for broader adoption [41] - The company failed to capitalize on the stickiness of messaging platforms, leading to a rapid decline once users switched to other services [41][42] - BBM's cross-platform Android APK leaked in 2013, causing a system overload and delaying the official launch [44] - BBM officially shut down in 2019, marking the end of an era [44][45]