BBM update for Android, iOS brings new features, iPad and iPod touch support

BlackBerry has released an update for BBM for Android and iOS that brings bug fixes as well as new features to the BlackBerry Messenger client for both platforms. Additionally, the iOS version of BBM adds support for iPad and iPod touch (the app was iPhone-only on launch).

While the Android version gets support for BBM contact categories, as well as improved group list sorting and filtering, the iOS version now comes with better support for right-to-left languages. Both versions also bring bug fixes and new options for sharing your BBM PIN Barcode.

BlackBerry's popular instant messaging platform BlackBerry Messenger (or BBM) finally landed on non-BlackBerry OS platforms, Android and iOS, last month after the company was forced to pause and delay the rollout. The app was downloaded more than 10 million times on iOS and Android within the first 24 hours, bringing in over 20 million new users to the BlackBerry Messenger platform in the first week.

Here are the new features added to BBM for Android in the latest update:

• Support for BBM Contact Categories
• BBM Group List sorting and filtering improvements
• More options for sharing your BBM PIN Barcode
• Find your friends on other social networks who are also using BBM
• Addresses an issue where some users may have experienced higher battery use

List of changes in BBM for iOS:

• Support for iPod touch and iPad devices running iOS6 and iOS7
• Improvements to right-to-left language support
• More options for sharing your BBM PIN Barcode
• Find your friends on other social networks who are also using BBM
• Fixes an issue where some users would be missing BBM contact names