WhatsApp is owned by Meta. It will never live on my iPhone. The only real solution to this problem is for Apple to bring iMessage to Android. That gives users choice and security.
I was about to respond to this because not every USB-C cable will work with everything, USB-C is a huge mess like HDMI and soon maybe messages will be too.Standards do not ensure interoperability. All the USB-C standard ensures is a single connector design, beyond that cables can be widely divergent.
I would be curious how a financial analysis would look comparing decreasing smartphone sales in general with increasing sales from subscriptions. Apple could just release iMessage as a monthly sub if you don't have an Apple device, I'd personally have no issue with $5-$10/month and Apple could even consider jacking it up higher than that over time. I have a feeling this would actually entice MORE consumers to buy an iPhone, especially if Apple withheld features from an iMessage app like stickers, tapbacks, facetime, etc. Apple would come out looking like the hero AND making money.
Personally all I want is to be able to send videos/pictures without the massive compression MMS entails, and to be able to properly be in a group chat. Maybe the EU and FCC should FORCE carriers to adopt a new standard like...hmm...like maybe RCS? (And I mean the original RCS which the carriers let languish and die, NOT the adulterated Google RCS which they push).
iMessage in its current form can’t be made interoperable because it relies on a private key burned into every apple devices’ Secure Enclave during manufacturing to decrypt the incoming message. If you have an iPhone and iPad and someone sends you an iMessage you are actually getting 2 separate messages each encrypted with a different public key. This hardware specific feature is only found on apple silicon.
There is a solution to comply however:
(A) disable iMessage for all apple devices sold in the EU
(B) disable end to end encryption for iMessage for EU devices. All messages sent to devices sold in the region are plain text. Then install a gateway to forward messages from other messaging systems into/out of iMessage ecosystem.
You know what is the biggest impediment to communication interoperability in the EU? The plethora of languages! They need to mandate that everyone in the union speaks a single language! /s 😆
This isn't going to give you blue bubbles. LOL
The bigger fear is Apple would do that stunt and say buy a new Apple device get X months of free iMessage for an account after that pay for it.
You don’t want Apple to go down that path as I would expect an iPhone for example might only get 1 year of free iMessaging then you have to pay for it.
Exactly. This is so ridiculous because like you said, there are plenty of other messaging apps available for iOS users. And if Google wants a messaging app that’s interoperable with their messaging system so bad, then why don’t they make one for iOS? Just make “Google Messages” or whatever, and have it as an available option? The stupid thing about all of this is that if Apple just provided a Messenger app with only basic text functionality, these people wouldn’t be up in arms over it, but because Apple decided to add some nice features for it’s users, now they should have to be interoperable with an arbitrary number of other messaging apps? The Messages app was designed to be a texting app first and foremost (who would buy a phone with no pre-installed texting or calling app?), with a few nice add-ons added over time. That brings up another problem with people’s arguments “bUt ApPlE pReFeReNcEs ThEiR oWn MeSsAgEs ApP bEcAuSe It’S pReLoAdEd…” What kind of phone would ship with no preloaded messaging app on it? Of course there will be some app that’s “preferenced” by being preloaded on a PHONE. That doesn’t mean it’s the only option… 🤦🏼♂️Users have many messenger choices they can use on both Android and iOS. iMessage is just one option but nobody forces you to use it over Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, Messenger, Element, SMS or any other platform to be honest. Apple as a company has decided not to open up iMessage fully to Android users to keep it as their USP and that makes complete sense. Users are not forced to use it and many don't (especially in Europe even if 2 people have iPhones, I can tell you that).
Google is trying to push their version of RCS so they can collect more user data and basically take one USP from Apple, as simple as that. They don't care about users.
Or make Meta add SMS support to WhatsApp and Messenger and there's open texting. It's not like anyone's forced to use iMessage. Non-Apple users and Apple users can use Telegram, Signal, Line, Messenger, etc. If it were a monopoly Apple would be forcing iPhone users to only use iMessage.
Standards do ensure interoperability. But at least you only have to bring one cable for multiple devices. It is up to you whether you buy a good cable or not. It was the same for lightening cables as well.Standards do not ensure interoperability. All the USB-C standard ensures is a single connector design, beyond that cables can be widely divergent.
I really don’t understand this one. Nobody in the EU cares about iMessage, most people (by far) are on Whatsapp. Talk about a ‘gatekeeper’! On top of that, there are so many choices: Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, regular SMS, and then some. I use them all. Who cares about having to switch app now and then? How will opening up these messaging apps not result in a ‘lowest common denominator’ service? How will anybody ever innovate again by adding things if that would break cross service compatibility?
I’m stumped.🤔
True, I mean I know people that have iPhones and I've asked them to talk to me on iMessage and FaceTime and they've never agreed to. It's always Signal, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat calls. You have to use everything in order to keep up with people.Users have many messenger choices they can use on both Android and iOS. iMessage is just one option but nobody forces you to use it over Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, Messenger, Element, SMS or any other platform to be honest. Apple as a company has decided not to open up iMessage fully to Android users to keep it as their USP and that makes complete sense. Users are not forced to use it and many don't (especially in Europe even if 2 people have iPhones, I can tell you that).
Google is trying to push their version of RCS so they can collect more user data and basically take one USP from Apple, as simple as that. They don't care about users.
Woe to those who don’t know the nature of hidden thorns in said garden.Walls closing in for walled garden.
Not far enough. IOS should be made to run on Android. MacOS must be made to run on PCs. Apple must also create peace between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Hamas. Just pass a regulation and make it so EU. Why are still allowing all these technology and military wars when you can just pass some regulations?To me, that sounds like the best option.
Though, as someone who lives in the EU, I find it odd that iMessage is seen as such a problem. I've lived in several different countries here and by far the most common messaging service in all of them has been WhatsApp.
Or is there something I missed here?
Use WhatsApp. EU doesn’t even need to be involved. Amazing.if there’s interoperability that’s good.
being able to text people from a single app is good, I like this.
SMS is less secure and makes Messages a worse experience for Apple users when communicating with friends and family on Android. Whether they want to use RCS or not, I do think Apple needs to address the issue instead of letting Messages be a subpar product for Apple's customers.