BlackBerry Launches Enterprise IM 3.0

BlackBerry users are receiving the long-awaited Enterprise Instant Messaging 3.0. This update is a great step forward for the IM tools for BlackBerry, as it not only provides new features, but can now chat over other business apps such as Microsoft Lync and IBM Lotus Sametime.

With this free update, which is available for or BlackBerry 10 smartphones and Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, data is encrypted from end to end, ensuring the protection of personal data. It’s built with a focus on collaboration, allowing users to switch between text chat and voice calls at will. It also offers multi-party instant messaging, as well as one-to-one, depending on the user’s communication needs.

As an added bonus, users can access messages from the BlackBerry Hub, as well as separate work and personal messages, apps and content with BlackBerry Balance. Perhaps the most notable feature in this update, however, is its support for other business apps, allowing users to communicate over Microsoft Lync 2010 and 2013, Microsoft Office Communication Server 2007 R2 and IBM Lotus Sametime 8.5 and 8.5.2 communications.

“To be competitive in today’s fast-paced marketplace, you need to enable your workers with tools that let them collaborate in real time,” said Frank Cotter, BlackBerry’s VP of Mobile Computing. “BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 mobilizes enterprise IM communications in a secure, manageable way through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, while making it easy and convenient for end users to collaborate while on the go.”

This is an impressive update, offering several new features that will make business communications easier and far more convenient for BlackBerry users. While the devices may have been suffering in comparison to competing ones, such as Android and iPhone devices, this shows that BlackBerry can still hold its own, and has several tricks up its sleeve to remain competitive.