The last time I checked the download difference between the BlackBerry Messenger and WhatsApp, the gap was just too obvious to write off. The fact that BlackBerry no longer have that credibility is a reality and in fact, the mobile devices made by the company aren’t that blockbusters any longer.

Back in 2016, BlackBerry Limited licensed the BBM app to Emtek and now, Emtek had decided to pull the plug on the 31st of May 2019…very sad especially for those of us that love BBM. Fact is I use the BBM to chat with my Girlfriend and she seems to be the only contact I have on the app. So we sort of ran away from the buzzy WhatsApp to that cool and quite platform that’s just for us.

Of course, there are still some big number of people using BBM, afterall, the app had gotten downloaded more than 100 Million times on Google Play Store But considering the position it onces was before WhatsApp launched in 2009 and being the dominant IM service limited only to the Old BlackBerry qwerty smartphones a decade ago, the sudden demise isn’t expected to be so soon.

BBM just didn’t just make it easy and convenient to chat with your friends and loved ones using beautiful Gifs and stickers to express your message, the News feed whereby you get to see latest updates from your contacts especially musics they’re listening to makes BBM really interesting, Now you see why it’s so comfortable for both me and my girlfriend.

While the BBM might seems to have lost it’s pride since the introduction of services like iMessage and WhatsApp, competition is now more fierce making it nearly impossible for BBM to thrive in the modern environment. But of course, nothing is irreplaceable which is why I’ll be listing out about 4 other BBM alternatives you can start using in 2019

FB Messenger and WhatsApp might not be the best

While one of the key player in the demise of my beloved BBM is WhatsApp, I’m not writing this to counter-attack it as being too insecure for people to use. Of course, WhatsApp is really powerful and i has some really powerful instant messaging capacity but the security issues looming over Facebook altogether might be a big minus for me and if you’re concerned about yours too, you might want to avoid all the IM owned by Facebook, Inc.

One headline was when Mark Zuckerberg said he wanted Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram users to be able to cross-participate despite the fact that these platforms run independently of one another.

While that might sound as a good idea, the issues with your privacy might be in a serious jeopardy especially when you consider that WhatsApp messages are currently encrypted, while Messenger and Instagram messages are not. Exactly how Facebook will blend the services and what level of protection it will provide are unknown.

BBMe (Download for Android | iPhone)

BBM isn’t like going away in it’s full entirety. It’s just that Emtek wants to turn it to a fullfledged enterprise instant messenger. Although that doesn’t mean that the enterprise version is going to bbe strictly used for at the enterprise level, of course it’s now even available for personal usage.

The BBMe is available on both Android and iOS as well as desktop versions on Mac OS and Windows OS but the only issue here is that you’ll have to pay to use the service. Although it’s free for the first year, after which there’s a 6 month subscription fee of $2.49…not too much. So I and my girlfriend will probably migrate to this version.

Using the BBMe sn’t so different from the normal BBM. And features such as Video and audio call features as well as file sharing are all still there and working fine. Infact, messages are well encrypted from end to end.

You’ll need to install and subscribe to the service via one of the mobile apps before you can set up the desktop apps. Currently, the iPhone version is missing the option for consumers to subscribe, but an update is expected soon. 

Telegram (Download for Android | iPhone)

Telegram isn’t new at all to those who are familiar with it. One obvious thing it does is the offering of encrypted chats with self-destructing messages. Another big plus is that you can use your telegram messenger across all platforms and including Desktop and web.

The service requires a phone number to sign up but does not share your number with contacts — a handy feature for those trying to vet out potential Tinder matches.

Signal (Download for Android | iPhone)

Signal is another cross-platform instant messaging application which is known for it’s security first approach/ It has end-to-end encryption which is one of the things that made people to give it a big thumb up.

You can get it an Android or iOS version of the app, as well as desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Debian-based Linux which means you’re never limited to chatting on your smartphone alone.

Way Forward

Although these BlackBerry Messenger alternatives are all great, the BBMe can be a smooth migration for those that really want to stick with the platform they’re already used to. While there are so many other IM applications in the Android’s Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, these 3 BBM alternatives are really guaranteed with abssolute security ad full control over your message.