The hallmark feature of BlackBerry devices to date has been BlackBerry Messenger. Once a relatively basic messaging service between BlackBerry owners, it has evolved into a central theme of the company's "love what you do" advertising strategy.
Apple threw a wrench into RIM's exclusive service with their announcement of iMessage, an iOS feature oddly similar to BlackBerry Messenger. Much like Messenger does with the phone's unique PIN, iMessage works off of the Apple ID of the iDevice, and features include read receipts, real-time status updates, and more.
If it sounds all too familiar, that's because it is. The concern about being a "nail in the coffin is certainly valid, because when it comes to device-centric messaging services, people often gravitate to what their friends and family have. Given the popularity of iOS devices and their prevalence in today's market, it makes sense that some existing BlackBerry users will migrate to iOS.
So, hot off the heels of the WWDC keynote, I present the question to you. Is Apple's iMessage a final nail in the coffin for RIM, who has relied on BlackBerry Messenger as one of the features distinguishing it from its competitors?
