BlackBerry will make its BBM messaging service available for Microsoft's Windows Phone and the recently-announced Nokia X in the next couple of months in a move to expand its user base.

This is the second major announcement regarding Blackberry recently, as the company also revealed a partnership with Ford, who plans to base its next-generation Sync system on BlackBerry's ONX OS and will no longer use Microsoft Windows service.

The Ford news helped Blackberry shares jump 8 percent in midday trading, according to Reuters.

QNX is cheaper than licensing Microsoft's technology and would also improve its flexibility and speed of the next Sync system, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Ford and BlackBerry have yet to comment on the report yet.

The report cited sources who requested anonymity because the decision has not been made public at press time.

A deal with Ford would help BlackBerry as it's trying to reinvent itself as more of a services and software company while still competing with the likes of Apple's iPhone and a number of Google Android devices, according to Reuters.

BlackBerry opened its service to iOS platforms last year and the number of users increased by 80 million.

BlackBerry Massaging (BBM) offers a number of tools like BBM Voice, BBM Groups, and BBM Channels, and competes with WhatsApp, which was recently purchased by Facebook for $19 billion.

WhatsApp has a user base of 450 million, according to Reuters.

BBM will become available as a free download for Windows Phone Store this summer. It will also be available through the Nokia Store once the Nokia X launches sometime later this year.

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