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BBM for iPod touch available to download in next 24 hours

Reports say that in the next day, you'll be able to install the BBM app on both the iPod touch and the Wi-Fi-only iPad tablets.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
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BBM is coming to the iPod touch. Reports say that in the next day, you'll be able to download and install the app and start chatting to your BlackBerry Messenger buddies on both the iPod touch and the Wi-Fi-only iPad tablets.

The update will happen in the next 24 hours, a spokesperson for BlackBerry told SlashGear. That means you can get back in touch with your BBM contacts even if your Apple device doesn't have a 3G or 4G connection.

That's big news for the many young users of BBM who make up a large part of the service's audience in Britain, many of whom will be armed with an iPod touch.

Although the BBM app works on 3G and 4G iPads and will soon work on Wi-Fi-only models, there isn't a specific iPad version of the app in the works.

BBM coming to Android and Apple devices hasn't been the triumph BlackBerry no doubt hoped for. BlackBerry missed the launch date then delayed the app launch, while loyal phone fans fell prey to imposter malware apps claiming to be the real deal. Then even when it was launched, BBMers were kept in a queue to activate their app. And to top off the debacle, there's been controversy over suspicious user reviews for the app.

That didn't stop 10m people installing the app in the first day after it was released though.

BBM for iPhone is optimised for iOS7, so it'll work on updated iPhones and the new iPhone 5S and 5C. Meanwhile BBM for Android includes new features like the BBM chat widget, which allows you to keep up with chats without having to open the app. Click here to download BBM for Android, and click here to download BBM for iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Are you going back to BlackBerry? What's the best chat app? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or chat to us on our Facebook page.