BBM Android app to hit Google Play on Friday?

BlackBerry Messenger could be available to download on Android by the end of the week, according to a tweet from Samsung Nigeria.
While BlackBerry announced earlier this year that it was developing Android and iOS apps for its BBM messenger platform, up until now there has been no indication of when they might see a release.
Before you get your hopes up, the Samsung tweet also claimed that the manufacturer had secured a three month exclusive deal on BBM – a fact that BlackBerry have since denied. So, perhaps we should take Samsung Nigeria’s tweets with a pinch of salt.
Victoria Berry, BBM communications director at BlackBerry, told CrackBerry ”I want to clarify that no one will have an exclusive on offering BBM. We’ll be bringing the app to Android and iPhone users across the globe soon.”
A leaked video of a BETA version on YouTube provided another signal that the app could be released imminently, clearly showing BBM up and running on an HTC handset.

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Whether or not the app sees an Android release this week, it’s clear that BlackBerry is serious about making BBM the world’s number one messaging platform. It’s already been a major asset for BlackBerry, as the popularity of the app among the younger generation has been partly responsible for keeping the manufacturer afloat in recent years.
For the official word on BBM’s Android and iOS releases, visit the BlackBerry website and sign-up to the mailing list.
So, will you be downloading the app when it reaches Android? Watch the BETA video below and let us know what you think.