BlackBerry launches platform

TORONTO — BlackBerry is launching a new product this month to allow developers to add secure text, video and voice messaging into apps. The Waterloo, Ont.-based company said the product, named BBM Enterprise SDK, can be used in apps requiring sensitive communication — for instance, between financial advisers and investors, or surgeons in different rooms in a hospital.

The cloud-based communications platform for developers will be available worldwide later this month for iOS and Android, and pricing will be by subscription rather than usage-based.

BlackBerry chief operating officer Marty Beard said this is a new revenue stream for the company that is expected to drive growth.