Don't say that we didn't warn you. From the moment that BlackBerry CEO John Chen said that BBM would be monetized by letting corporations sponsor BBM Channel discussion groups, we have mentioned it every once in a while. Now, BlackBerry has started testing out sponsored channels and sponsored invitations in BBM.
The sponsored invitations will show up in the Invites section of BBM while the sponsored channels can be found in the Updates section. Right now, the testing is going on in certain Beta Zone versions of BlackBerry's messaging app.
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Other changes in the Beta Zone version of BBM include the ability to purchase stickers from the new BBM Store, an increase in the size of attachments from 6MB to 16MB, Control Group notifications received independently of other notification settings, the ability to send pictures in multi-person chat, and the ability to view images in both portrait and landscape orientations.
So far, it is not clear when the update bringing these new features will be sent out to all BBM users.
Ads are being tested on certain Beta Zone versions of BBM
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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