RIM ports Blackberry Messenger to Android

SCREENSHOTS have surfaced of the Research in Motion (RIM) Blackberry Messenger (BBM) app running on Google's Android operating system.

The images are the first real signs that BMM will become available for Android users. The app is in beta testing currently but RIM will launch it by the end of the year, according to Techradar.

A BBM icon can be seen on the Android menu and a contact profile page shows details such as the user's display name, PIN, personal message and status. The images supposedly came from a RIM employee who said the app works well with Android's push notifications.

This is about all the information given away by the screenshots but we assume that the system will be compatible with Blackberry users. It is unclear whether BBM for Android will include BBM Music, which allows users to share music libraries with each other.

Another possibility is a version of the Blackberry Messenger app for Apple devices. The fruit themed firm might not be so keen on the idea because it has Imessage, a messaging application that will come with IOS 5. µ