iMessages as a service

[Napalm Doctor]

I have heard all of the arguments of why Apple will never release iMesssages on other platform, but what if?

In this year where it seems that all social networking services are having issues with privacy, Apple should seize the moment.

Making it available to other platform by bundling it with iCloud. Make iCloud available to all other platform and offer some perks (iCloud photo backup thru the app for exemple) if the users pay for some iCloud storage. Integrate FaceTime in it of course.While making a sticker/addons Store would monetize it!

ICloud Photo could allow to only backup photo, but to share pictures with groups of friends thru iMessages.

This would undoubtedly increase the revenues of iCloud and solidify their stance on privacy. Two wins for Apple.

 

[eyoungren]

I'm not seeing an incentive here.

I don't use iCloud for anything other than backups. I use Dropbox for photos.

I do use iMessage, but SMS is just fine. Rolling iMessage into Android won't motivate me. But then I'm already motived to go Android for other reasons…so there's that.

I'm not into stickers and addons. I'll leave that to my 10 year old daughter. Unfortunately, for Apple, that seems to be a phase of her life she's outgrowing though. I should probably tell her to iMessage grandma so she stops getting those sent to her through the mail…

 

[0388631]

iMessage is merely a relay chat system that can hand-off to SMS. RCS will be similar sans the ability to activate iMessage with just email. From what I've read and have been told, the use of iMessage goes way down outside of North America, where other chatting apps such as Whatsapp or Telegram are more popular. These apps and iMessage are mostly based on what BBM was.

With the way Apple skimps on basic use and courtesy in what comes with a new product purchase, I sincerely doubt they'd bother with this. And as far as privacy go, the moment you use a third party app you risk your data being siphoned off. And that's not including any ways the NSA or other intelligence agencies can get their hands on data.

If you want to most secure mobile experience, buy a phone of any OS you want, don't use third party apps. Use whatever the phone comes with. That's it.