BBM for Android updated with new features

In the heyday of Blackberry devices, Blackberry Messenger (BBM) was one of the key differentiator with security and privacy being its hallmark features. As the popularity of BBM diminished against the multi-platform rivals like WhatsApp, the phone maker opened it up for the iOS and Android platform. However, Blackberry never really regained the lost ground.

Last week BlackBerry Messenger saw an update on App store for the iOS devices and now it brings the same feature set for its Android version on Google Play Store. The Canadian company made quite a lot of improvements to the media sharing experience in the latest version of BBM.

Here are some of the most important changes — First, you'll now be able to customize you unique BBM PIN for free, as well as the background colors in chat.

There's also a new grid view in the Discover tab for a better reading experience. More importantly, BBM users will now be able to take control over their data consumption similar to WhatsApp. The app can now selectively auto-download photos and video using Wi-Fi only, or a combination of Wi-Fi and mobile data.

Another nifty tweak is aimed at those using BBM to send photos and videos. Starting with this version of the app, you will no longer need to tap the “Request HD” option to receive photos and videos in HD quality since they are now automatically HD quality.