BBM for Android and iOS downloaded over 10 million times in 24 hours, says ...

BlackBerry's BBM service is one of its most beloved features, and iOS and Android users apparently haven't forgotten about it. In a blog post, BlackBerry reports that over 10 million people have downloaded its cross-platform mobile app in the first 24 hours since its release yesterday. As the company notes, it topped the Apple App Store's free apps list in over 75 countries, including the US, though it hasn't cracked the American Play Store's equivalent. Reviews on both platforms so far seem highly positive, and developers have certainly had time to work out pre-release kinks: the app was originally set to come out in September, but BlackBerry delayed its release after a leaked version was allegedly downloaded by a million users.

BBM remained a major BlackBerry-only perk long after the company had entered its current tailspin, and its release for iOS and Android has been highly anticipated, even if it's now competing with similar services like WhatsApp. As a point of comparison, Angry Birds Space set a record for Rovio's already hugely popular franchise in 2012 with 10 million downloads over three days. Unfortunately, the company's hardware hasn't received nearly as much attention, and several companies are reportedly considering buying it out. For BBM, meanwhile, the next step is maintaining an active user base after the initial rush of downloads passes.