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widgeteer

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Original poster
Jun 12, 2016
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For me, it’s like Apple still offering HDD’s in their 2018 computers.

It’s 2018 already. With all of the leaks and hacks and privacy issues, why not make it encrypted? (Oh yeah, that’s right. It’s Google. It’s in their best interest NOT to.)

I agree with you. I just don't think the majority of the public cares. Always-listening smart speakers, posting every single experience and friendship and workplace online, etc, etc. The public tsk tsks when a privacy-violation story breaks but ultimately most don't really care. So if you ask the average person: "What's more important to you: end to end encryption or sending your friend a talking Poo sticker wearing a Hello Kitty shirt over text?" what do you think will come out ahead?
 

willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
I agree with you. I just don't think the majority of the public cares. Always-listening smart speakers, posting every single experience and friendship and workplace online, etc, etc. The public tsk tsks when a privacy-violation story breaks but ultimately most don't really care. So if you ask the average person: "What's more important to you: end to end encryption or sending your friend a talking Poo sticker wearing a Hello Kitty shirt over text?" what do you think will come out ahead?
Unfortunately, you aren’t wrong.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,422
Allow me to clarify, DOA for me.

However, you cannot deny that supplanting SMS will be a more daunting endeavor.

Not really. Carriers won't want to keep SMS because it will cost them money. With Google doing pretty much all the work, carriers will eventually sunset SMS if only to save cash.
 
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oneMadRssn

macrumors 603
Sep 8, 2011
6,087
14,194
Palm's problem was they screwed up the hardware so soooo badly. Tiny screen with a useless, gummy keyboard. The device(s) were just straight up unpleasant to use despite having such a great OS.

I disagree, to each their own though. I found the Palm Pre and Pixi keyboards to be very usable despite their small size. The gummy keys took getting used to, but ultimately allowed smaller keys than possible with individual hard plastic keys like the rest were doing at the time.

Palm's main problem was economics and timing. They existed when most people will still using feature phones, carriers were locking everyone into 2-year deals and selling exclusive hardware at subsidized prices.

Palm couldn't get the carriers to carry their phones at favorable prices unless they were exclusives, and Palm didn't want to be exclusive to any single carrier. $250 for a Palm Pre, even though that was subsidized, was a hard sell compared to a top of the line feature phone for $100-150. Ultimately Palm did go with exclusives (Verizon was the only carrier to get the WiFi-enabled Palm Pixi, for example), it was too late. By the time T-Mobile disrupted the industry by getting rid of contracts and subsidies, Palm was already gone.

Had Palm tried the same thing today - where carrier exclusives barely exist anymore and consumers are used to paying the full price of $650-$1000 for a handset - they would have been more successful I think.
 

convergent

macrumors 68040
May 6, 2008
3,034
3,083
No offense, but what you're describing isn't anti-competitive. Apple has no Monopoly on the market. No compelling legislative force to make people buy their phones. If they perceive that allowing a texting platform on their own devices equal to the experience of iMessage is bad for business, there's nothing wrong with blocking. The markerplace will tell them if this works or not.

I disagree. Apple does have a large enough share in the US, that if they continue on current course of not supporting standards, then it will slowly make them a real monopoly. The govt. has stepped into carrier plans that make it difficult for a customer to have choice. This is a similar situation (not presently, but headed there). We will have to wait and see if they do or don't support this evolution of SMS/MMS, because its not fully here yet. I know they are refusing to support carrier specific advanced messaging, but that is easier to defend.

I'm sure we will never agree... will just have to see how it plays out and if this new thing even gets going.
 

widgeteer

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Jun 12, 2016
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I disagree. Apple does have a large enough share in the US, that if they continue on current course of not supporting standards, then it will slowly make them a real monopoly. The govt. has stepped into carrier plans that make it difficult for a customer to have choice. This is a similar situation (not presently, but headed there). We will have to wait and see if they do or don't support this evolution of SMS/MMS, because its not fully here yet. I know they are refusing to support carrier specific advanced messaging, but that is easier to defend.

I'm sure we will never agree... will just have to see how it plays out and if this new thing even gets going.

It's not about agreement. You're just factually incorrect. You can't monopolize something unless you own all the choices.

https://www.statista.com/statistics...by-smartphone-platforms-in-the-united-states/

That graph shows *Android* has over half the market share in the US, not iOS.

Your argument is stating that the company that *isn't* working with all the carriers to capture SMS traffic is the one pushing us towards a monopoly. That makes absolutely zero sense.
 
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hallux

macrumors 68040
Apr 25, 2012
3,443
1,005
The Android Central Podcast did a great bit on this whole topic.

There may be hope yet!

I just listened to that part on my way home from work. I felt like they had a different understanding of what's coming than I do. This is one of the few podcasts I listen to.

I understood "Chat" to be API "hooks" to the Universal Profile stuff, that messaging app developers could use to build an app for RCS communications. Once the carriers are on board, the apps can hook into that protocol (much as they do for texting now) and it doesn't matter WHICH app someone is using, it'll just work. In fact - the screenshot I saw in one article even had a screenshot from what seemed to be the Messages app on Android showing a section of the settings screen geared to enabling the "Chat" features. Here's an article on AndroidCentral that even says "Chat" is not a new app but an enhancement on features in Android Messages Google evolving Android Messages with new 'Chat' RCS features, will pause Allo development | Android Central This is not what they were saying on the podcast, though the article was posted by one of the guys NOT participating in the podcast last week.
 
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JaySoul

macrumors 68030
Jan 30, 2008
2,629
2,865
I just listened to that part on my way home from work. I felt like they had a different understanding of what's coming than I do. This is one of the few podcasts I listen to.

I understood "Chat" to be API "hooks" to the Universal Profile stuff, that messaging app developers could use to build an app for RCS communications. Once the carriers are on board, the apps can hook into that protocol (much as they do for texting now) and it doesn't matter WHICH app someone is using, it'll just work. In fact - the screenshot I saw in one article even had a screenshot from what seemed to be the Messages app on Android showing a section of the settings screen geared to enabling the "Chat" features. Here's an article on AndroidCentral that even says "Chat" is not a new app but an enhancement on features in Android Messages Google evolving Android Messages with new 'Chat' RCS features, will pause Allo development | Android Central This is not what they were saying on the podcast, though the article was posted by one of the guys NOT participating in the podcast last week.

Exactly. This is why if it can happen, it's a game-changer.
 

convergent

macrumors 68040
May 6, 2008
3,034
3,083
It's not about agreement. You're just factually incorrect. You can't monopolize something unless you own all the choices.

https://www.statista.com/statistics...by-smartphone-platforms-in-the-united-states/

That graph shows *Android* has over half the market share in the US, not iOS.

Your argument is stating that the company that *isn't* working with all the carriers to capture SMS traffic is the one pushing us towards a monopoly. That makes absolutely zero sense.

I disagree that I'm factually incorrect. The government intervenes when a company is doing something that inhibits competition. IF this thing becomes a standard, and IF Apple refused to support it, THEN they would be inhibiting competition. And IF they continue to get a bigger and bigger foothold in the US, then I would think the govt. MIGHT step in. It would be foolish to wait until Apple had masjority market share to step in. They block things all the time that might cause a monopoly... mergers, etc..
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,413
Very nice, kudos to Google for finally....FINALLY doing something about the mess that they created. Now just merge hangouts, google voice, allo, duo, android messenger (did I miss any?) and focus your team on that one app/paradigm.
 

ignatius345

macrumors 604
Aug 20, 2015
7,626
13,042
If another messaging protocol like this gained traction, I would imagine the carriers would brand it as "enhanced messaging" or something, pop you a few bucks a month to have it enabled and/or just collect money off the data they harvest from it and additional data usage.

If it gained enough traction, my guess is that Apple would just fold it into Messages the way SMS is folded in now. We'd still be using one app, but now there would be, I don't know, yellow bubbles or something. Probably in the end most people would just shrug and move on.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,422
For me, it’s like Apple still offering HDD’s in their 2018 computers.

It’s 2018 already. With all of the leaks and hacks and privacy issues, why not make it encrypted? (Oh yeah, that’s right. It’s Google. It’s in their best interest NOT to.)

We could blame Google all day, but there's no way they could push an End to End encrypted app on all Android phones and not get sued into oblivion by the EU. This way they can actually get something done. And SMSv2 was never going to be E2E encrypted because even if Google wanted it the carriers wouldn't. I'm not saying they did, but I am saying Apple has more abilities due to the fact that iOS has a lower marketshare.
 

bigjnyc

macrumors G3
Apr 10, 2008
8,298
7,661
So it will be up to the carriers? LOL this will be yet another half-baked messaging attempt for the Google scrap heap. I feel like every year they take a shot at it and fail then abandon the app. Why didn't they just outbid facebook for whatsapp, that's as close to iMessage as they could have gotten, they could have just tweaked it a little to implement it.
 
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tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
While I would love to see SMS/MMS finally die the long overdue death it deserves, the control ultimately being in the carriers hands is why I think it’s likely not going to happen, at least how most of us would prefer it. They’ll limit it only to their own app and probably charge a premium for it, or something to that effect.

Also, the more I think about it, the more I have a problem with it not being end-to-end encrypted. Even if I’m not concerned about either the government or some malicious third party gaining access to my messages, the fact that the carriers could utilize the data to do god knows what with it makes it a likely no go. Hell, even WhatsApp, owned by the company most likely to sell your data off to the highest bidder (or actually ANY bidder for that matter) offers end to end encryption. :rolleyes:
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,422
While I would love to see SMS/MMS finally die the long overdue death it deserves, the control ultimately being in the carriers hands is why I think it’s likely not going to happen, at least how most of us would prefer it. They’ll limit it only to their own app and probably charge a premium for it, or something to that effect.

Also, the more I think about it, the more I have a problem with it not being end-to-end encrypted. Even if I’m not concerned about either the government or some malicious third party gaining access to my messages, the fact that the carriers could utilize the data to do god knows what with it makes it a likely no go. Hell, even WhatsApp, owned by the company most likely to sell your data off to the highest bidder (or actually ANY bidder for that matter) offers end to end encryption. :rolleyes:

You can say goodbye to WhatsApps E2E with all the founders having left due to privacy arguments with Facebook.
 

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
While I would love to see SMS/MMS finally die the long overdue death it deserves, the control ultimately being in the carriers hands is why I think it’s likely not going to happen, at least how most of us would prefer it. They’ll limit it only to their own app and probably charge a premium for it, or something to that effect.

Also, the more I think about it, the more I have a problem with it not being end-to-end encrypted. Even if I’m not concerned about either the government or some malicious third party gaining access to my messages, the fact that the carriers could utilize the data to do god knows what with it makes it a likely no go. Hell, even WhatsApp, owned by the company most likely to sell your data off to the highest bidder (or actually ANY bidder for that matter) offers end to end encryption. :rolleyes:
I’m kind of resigned to staying with Apple for iMessage at this point. I want that end to end encryption. No, I’m not plotting a military coup or anything exciting and mysterious.

I’ve just got to coordinate health care of four elders with other family members and I want to afford these discussions the same privacy guaranteed by law for health information handled by healthcare providers.

Would it really matter if Google or FB hoovers up all that information for some data commerce? Probably not, but it’s the principle of the thing. At some point I do get weary of the snooping and data mining. I am not going to be having these discussions over sms, that’s for sure.

I enjoy carrying an iPhone and an Android at this point. I also find it useful because sometimes one goes bonkers (usually the iPhone over an iCloud snafu) and I would miss important notifications if I didn’t have two phones with sims in them.

However, if this messaging mess ever gets straightened out and I can get an iMessage equivalent on Android along with an Apple Watch equivalent on Android, it would be lovely to pick one track and stick with it. Preferably the option that lets me have a fingerprint sensor, at the very least.
 
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Michael Goff

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Jul 5, 2012
13,329
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I’m kind of resigned to staying with Apple for iMessage at this point. I want that end to end encryption. No, I’m not plotting a military coup or anything exciting and mysterious.

I’ve just got to coordinate health care of four elders with other family members and I want to afford these discussions the same privacy guaranteed by law for health information handled by healthcare providers.

Would it really matter if Google or FB hoovers up all that information for some data commerce? Probably not, but it’s the principle of the thing. At some point I do get weary of the snooping and data mining. I am not going to be having these discussions over sms, that’s for sure.

I enjoy carrying an iPhone and an Android at this point. I also find it useful because sometimes one goes bonkers (usually the iPhone over an iCloud snafu) and I would miss important notifications if I didn’t have two phones with sims in them.

However, if this messaging mess ever gets straightened out and I can get an iMessage equivalent on Android along with an Apple Watch equivalent on Android, it would be lovely to pick one track and stick with it. Preferably the option that lets me have a fingerprint sensor, at the very least.

Isn't that what all aspiring conquerors say? :p
 
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tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
You can say goodbye to WhatsApps E2E with all the founders having left due to privacy arguments with Facebook.

We'll, I won’t touch anything owned by Facebook at this point, regardless.

I’m trying to get my closest family and friends to start using Telegram—help me migrate to Android more seemlessly if I so choose. Less reliance on Apple Messages.
 
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