Canadian mobile device manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) is introducing BBM Music, a new BlackBerry Messenger service that allows for social and viral music discovery online. But there’s no word on when or even if the product will be launched in SA.

The company has signed licensing deals with the four biggest music labels — Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI — to provide users of BBM Music with access to millions of tracks.

The service allows users to build a community-based music library of full tracks that is shared among their BBM Music friends. Users’ music libraries grow as their friends join the community.

The service works by allowing users to create a personal music profile with 50 of their favorite songs. They can replace up to 25 of those songs each month. As users add friends to their BBM Music community they gain access to each of their friends’ songs too.

In addition to being able to listen to full tracks from any of their friends’ libraries, users can create playlists from them. Tracks can also be downloaded to users’ smartphones and be listened to offline.

The back-end solution for the BBM Music service is being provided by cloud music service provider Omnifone.

A closed trial of BBM Music service will be limited to Canada, the US and the UK. It is expected to be available commercially to customers later this year for a monthly subscription of US$4,99 in a range of countries. SA is not on the list, meaning Nokia remains the only cellphone manufacturer to offer a music store to its customers. — Staff reporter, TechCentral