BlackBerry rolls out major BBM update, lets users ‘retract’ messages

BlackBerry has announced that its instant messaging service BBM now includes a host of new privacy features for users on Android and iOS, allowing users to “take control over the messages and content that they share.”

Users can now ‘retract’ sent messages and images if they were sent by mistake. This also works if the message has already been sent, and the sender wishes to revoke access to said message.

Other features include a new message timer, which allows users to “control how long contacts can view messages and pictures that have been shared or communicate their location for only as long as they want to,” explained the company.

This move comes at a time when privacy is on the forefront of everyone’s mind, thanks to WhatsApp’s new slant towards encryption and the Panama Papers leak. Not to mention BlackBerry’s own PRIV smartphone which focuses chiefly on privacy as well.

For a more granular look at the features added to BBM, all the new features below:

• Forward messages from one chat to another
• Ability to mute notifications for a multi-person chat on Android
• Scroll through all pictures shared within a 1:1 or multi-person chat on Android
• Choose if users want pictures taken within BBM chats saved to their device
• Video sharing improvements – capture and share larger videos on iOS
• Redesigned chat screen look and feel on iOS
• Multi-select mode to allow multiple messages to be deleted, retracted, or forwarded at once on iOS
• Retract and edit messages in group chats on BlackBerry 10
• Retract chat – retract all sent messages when you end a chat on BlackBerry 10
• Marshmallow (Android 6.0) support

The new version of BBM will be available for Android and iOS users.