BlackBerry Messenger, it is keeping RIM in the consumer game?

Research in Motion (RIM) the developer of the BlackBerry Smartphone has been producing mobile wireless devices for more then ten years and has shipped over 50 million devices.

The focus for RIM in the early years has been on the enterprise and since 2006 more and more devices have been launched targeting the consumer with the Perl, Storm and recent lower end Curve devices.

BlackBerry is appealing to the consumer with over 60% of subscribers in 2009 coming from the non-enterprise. The question is what is keeping RIM in the consumer game? Is it the new range of devices, updated operating system, App Store or is it BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).

BBM is a propriety instant messenger application, which comes with every device shipped today. It enables real time communication between BlackBerry users and initially started with just a simple text based messaging service providing a free alternative to SMS. The later versions of BBM and most recent BBM 5.0 are more feature rich with profile pictures, status updates, pictures and videos.

You can add friends from anywhere in the world by scanning your QR Code (two dimensional barcode) or by sharing your unique BlackBerry PIN.

The new BBM 5.0 release allows you to create groups for friends, family or colleagues with a shared interest. You can then have text conversations between the groups, share pictures, manage lists and the group calendar.

Could BBM be keeping RIM in the consumer game providing a sticky and exclusive service only available to those with a BlackBerry Smartphone and generating viral marketing, which is helping RIM’s grow its consumer subscriber base year on year.

If you look back over the years Instant Messaging has been around in some form or another actively used by most young consumers with applications like MSN and Yahoo Messenger. BBM now fills this space nicely as Smartphone’s become the must have devices and SMS still a popular medium for quick communication.