RIM has released BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) 6, an update to its much-loved messaging software that now allows users to chat from within connected apps and games.
Available today, users with BlackBerry OS 4.5 or higher will be able to push messages to friends from within a select number of apps, including FourSquare and Wikitude.
You can also expect to see BBM chat in some games, with achievements and trophies added to your BBM profile so your friends can see what games you're playing (and how terrible you are at them).
Gamify
Along with proof of your gaming prowess, you'll be able to add a status update to your profile.
Conversation style text messaging support for BBM-less contacts has also been added, so you can do all your messaging from within the BBM app.
We expect to see a host of newly BBM integrated apps pop up over the coming months as developers implement the system more widely, particularly in advance of iOS 5's autumn release, which brings iMessage with it - Apple's competing product for iPhone and iPad.
This update to the popular messaging service could be the shiny new social thing that RIM was teasing earlier this week; sure, it's a nice update and all but… well… we were really hoping for some new hardware.
Still, with a BlackBerry media event scheduled for next week, the wait for that might not be too much longer.
