WSJ: BlackBerry is debating whether to spin off BBM into its own subsidiary

BlackBerry Messenger is set to launch on Android and iOS devices before the end of the summer, and now the company is said to be debating whether to spin off the service into its own subsidiary with greater independence.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new division, potentially called BBM Inc, would help BlackBerry to promote and emphasize its messaging app as one of its most prized assets ahead of a potential sale. The company is also said to be moving more executives across to the BBM team to double-down on its latest features, such as video calls and BBM Channels.

Bringing BlackBerry Messenger cross-platform was a bold move in itself, so it’s unclear what BlackBerry thinks a more independent team could accomplish. The competition from Skype, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts and an ever growing number of cross-platform messaging apps based in Asia, such as LINE, should be seen as cause for concern though.

➤ BlackBerry Weighs Messenger Spinoff (WSJ)

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