What has gained popularity in Indonesia as a BlackBerry equivalent of WeChat could span the world on all mobile platforms.

Jakarta-based Elang Mahkota Teknologi - better known as Emtek - has partnered the Canadian company to provide cross-platform BBM (BlackBerry messaging) users with access to enriched content and services.

A licensing agreement allows Emtek to develop new BBM applications and services for Android, iOS and Windows phones. Emtek's content arm KMK Online is to establish an office in the Toronto area as part of the deal.

KMK Online media assets will be combined with more than 20 of Emtek's businesses and investments across broadcast TV, websites, content production and artists, giving users progressive access to "a plethora of content" including national free-to-air TV, a leading online video platform, three exclusive production houses and a library of more than 100,000 hours of TV and premium content.

BlackBerry will make the BBM API available to Emtek to accelerate the growth of partners and service providers, with integration of BBM's social, chat, commerce and content set to help maximize the potential of the service.

BBM has nearly 60 million monthly active users in Indonesia, where Emtekis a leading media content company.

The deal has been seen as a way for BlackBerry to boost services as phone sales fall. Head of corporate development James Mackey was quoted by Bloomberg saying WeChat was "exactly (the) type of offering" it wanted in Indonesia, with the added potential to make it global.

Pictured: One of KMK's websites, Liputan6