BlackBerry is expanding its BBM Money mobile payment service to smartphones running Android and Apple iOS from early 2015. It was launched in Indonesia last year, enabling customers to make real-time payments to any BBM contacts who have signed up to the service.
The original service was developed by Monitise and managed by PermataBank. This enhanced service will also just be available in Indonesia, although it’ll now enable payments in participating retail stores and online.
John Sims, President Global Enterprise Services at BlackBerry, said “By combining our DNA around security, and the real-time collaboration and privacy attributes of BBM, we are uniquely placed in the growing mobile payments space. These new mobile payments partnerships demonstrate how we have effectively evolved BBM from the best real-time chat experience to a true social engagement and e-commerce platform. Whether it’s sending pictures and files to groups or contacts; sharing their location or sending money or airtime – all from within the BBM app – our users’ real-time engagement experience will continue to get richer.”