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How to avoid waiting for BBM on Android and iOS

This easy trick will allow you to avoid the wait list and sign up for BlackBerry's popular messaging service immediately.

Dan Graziano Associate Editor / How To
Dan Graziano is an associate editor for CNET. His work has appeared on BGR, Fox News, Fox Business, and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn't tinkering with the latest gadgets and gizmos, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.
Dan Graziano
2 min read

Brian Bennett/CNET

The initial release date of BBM for Android and iPhone devices came and went. The company claimed that earlier leaked versions of the app had caused internal problems, which resulted in the delay. A month after the original launch date, BlackBerry on Monday announced the availability of BBM in the Google Play store and Apple's App Store.

The messaging app can also be found in select Samsung App Stores and by visiting BBM.com from your smartphone's Web browser.

To ensure that its servers can handle the influx of new users, BlackBerry has created a wait list for those interested in signing up for a BBM account. Individuals who registered on BlackBerry's Web site earlier this month won't be required to wait in line and can begin using the app immediately.

Screenshot by Dan Graziano/CNET

Simply enter the same e-mail address you registered with, click Next, and select "I got the email." If you didn't preregister, you can enter your e-mail address and wait for an invite from BlackBerry.

There is another way, however.

The company's wait list can actually be bypassed after downloading the app on either your Android or iOS device. Open the app, enter your e-mail address, click Next, and then force-close it.

This can be done on iOS by double-clicking the home button and swiping the app away. On Android, enter the multitasking menu and swipe the app away, or go to Settings, Apps, BBM, and click Force Close. After relaunching the app you should have the power to create an account, which will assign you a unique PIN, and to begin inviting friends.

It should be noted that while this method worked for some CNET writers, BlackBerry could fix the workaround at any time.