At the very least, hopefully Apple will notice that there is enough of an appetite for iMessage on Android that people are getting innovative about it.
The point is to get people to buy iPhones because of getting shunned for green bubbles. It came out in litigation, the CEO straight up admitted it in writing
That was an interesting read. There wasn’t actually any mention of green bubbles from Apple indicated in the article, but the emails referenced in a different article linked in that one quoted a top exec’s concern that adding iMessage to Android would only remove a barrier to parents buying their kids something other than an iPhone. The intent is pretty clear that they don’t want Android and iPhone users to be able communicate fairly in iMessage.
Still, isn’t RCS support enough? I mean, assuming you simply refuse to just ask other people to download a different app?
From a technical POV, sure. For the average person if Apple doesn't show RCS as blue bubble? They still won't care, and will keep excluding people, and keep getting Apple phone sales
Apple reportedly built a version of iMessages for Android a long time ago. Then they realized how many phones their bubble scheme sold and reversed course.
Why do people want iMessage for Android? That gives them more control over the entire messaging ecosystem.
They're adopting the RCS protocol, that's what people should want. It's interoperable with all phones and not just the ones that happen to support iMessage. It's supposed to replace SMS and MMS, which are guaranteed to work between all platforms.
This iMessage vs WhatsApp vs other walled-garden messaging apps debate is stupid when an open protocol is right there.
They're adopting the RCS protocol, that's what people should want
Standard RCS is not e2ee, only google's implementation on top of it is. I feel most here would prefer an e2ee messaging protocol over something else that can be observed by third parties
Samsung is the only other company that integrated Google's e2ee implementation into their stock messages app fairly recently, it's supported standard RCS for a good number of years now
What's their motivation? Unless they charge for it, the other service to non customers and remove one of the barriers keeping people in iOS.
I've read that EU won't force it to open, so either there is profit involved or I don't see apple doing it.
I know all that. It's the reason why it's not considered by the EU. But doesn't address the fact that the is no reason for Apple to open up, unless I'm missing something