Today, during the BlackBerry Live Keynote, the company announced that it will be launching BlackBerry Messenger—BBM—on iOS and Android this Summer. Yes – you’ll soon be BBMing on your iPhones and Galaxy devices!

It’s a shocking turnaround for the company, who had previously insisted that BBM would remain exclusive to its own platform.

BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins said that this move was a “sign of confidence” in it’s products. It seems more like desperation to us. After all BBM was the last Jewel in the RIM/Blackberry crown, but I guess we will just have to see how things develop from here.

Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry, said:

For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service.

BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community.

At first just BBM text and group messaging will be available in the standalone app, but other services including video calling will follow.

Have a look see at these features in the video below.

I’m not too sure how I feel about this announcement. I have adjusted to life without BBM rather easily, and so have many of my peers.

So much so, when I hear “BBM”  now I think the “B-word” and it takes me back to a very annoying time. I for one enjoyed the not having to wade through dozens of mindless broadcast per day. Everything from “send this to 10 people and Jesus will manifest himself to you in 10 minutes” to “my baby has been stolen please call 222-5555 if you get word of their whereabouts” , it was all too much…

How many of you think you will be downloading this app when it becomes available this summer?