Smartphone-maker Blackberry on Monday expanded access to certain user privacy features in its messenger application that were previously subscription based.
According to a corporate blog post, all BBM users across Android, iOS and Blackberry devices will now have unlimited access to Blackberry’s Retract and Timer features. The features were previously only available as part of a $1 per month BBM subscription plan.
As the names imply, the Retract feature allows users to remove a selected message from the chat stream on their own device as well as on their contact’s device. The Timer feature allows BBM users to pre-select the length of time contacts will have to view messages and pictures sent in a chat.
Blackberry’s move comes in the content of a growing debate about the use of encryption, and comes just days after the FBI offered its help to local law enforcement officials cracking password- and encryption-protected devices.
The expansion of these security features could be a play by Blackberry to boost user figures and better position itself among messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
At the end of last week Blackberry posted a larger-than-expected slide in fourth quarter revenue that sent stocks sliding nearly 8 percent.
The company reported just $464 million in revenue, down from $660 million the year prior and $548 million the previous quarter. The figure was also around $99 million short of analyst estimates.
