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US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

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Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#241

Post by davidy123 »

dunnevens wrote: post #146
davidy123 wrote: post #11

This has been going on for decades with MS Office. I recently proposed to an elderly acquaintance that they get a Chromebook because a full Windows installation was causing them so much trouble, but they couldn't because their peers edited one specific document using MS Word and for some reason it caused trouble when people edited it online. And that's just at the individual level, MS Office lock-in is a fact for so…

I'm sure you already tried this, but did the Word app for Android work for the edited document? With Chrome OS support for Android apps, that might a solution for your acquaintance.

This was before Android for ChromeOS was released. But they just wanted a Windows laptop, because they thought it was the only way they could confidently edit documents in their group.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#242

Post by jdminhbg »

jjeaff wrote: post #192
jdminhbg wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In fact, if it wasn't for the coloring, they wouldn't even have noticed, except if you exchanged other data than pure text, but I can't imagine this being a real deal-breaker for planning? People very frequently exchange data other than pure text when event planning: GIFs, map pins, tapbacks to express [dis]agreement, etc.

Seems to work fine. I get gifs and "likes" off messages all the time.

The likes being sent as separate message completely defeats the point of the tapback, which is to register a reaction without spamming the screen with extra messages.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#244

Post by asdff »

azinman2 wrote: post #65
asclepi wrote: post #55

I do notice a pattern of misunderstanding that I've also observed when talking with Android users IRL. iMessage is very different from Whatsapp. For starters, there is no dedicated iMessage app. iMessage is managed from the iOS Messages app, which handles both iMessage and SMS. It's very good at managing both from one unified interface. In fact, it's so good that it uses arbitrary coloring of messages so you can see…

Sorry, but group chat over SMS is crap. Lots of Android phones as well don’t operate group SMS well, you get reduced resolution in photos and videos, can’t like/heart messages in the same way, no typing indicators, etc etc. Losing iMessage features sucks when you’re otherwise used to it.

But so what? It still works if a bit worse. The same can't be said for any other group messaging app. If you truly need this tool for the job, buy an ipod touch for $100.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#245

Post by throw0101a »

Infinitesimus wrote: post #128
throw0101a wrote: post #70

Lock-in doesn't last forever: just ask ICQ, MSN, and BBM. My sister used all of those things as she was growing up in the 2000s and 2010s. The flavour-of-the-day is now iMessage. She sometimes complains that I'm not on the system (supposedly handy to group chat with our mom), but I can't be bothered to follow the latest fad. We'll see how long that lasts. Maybe at some point the telcos and phone makers will eventuall…

I'm not sure the comparison is that neat. Everyone was on BBM until most people stopped using a BlackBerry. iMessage will live on until most people stop using an iPhone in the US because iMessage is guaranteed to be present on your iDevice and usually works reliably enough for a vast majority of the population.

Yes, that's the point: there were, are, and will be, protocols or technologies that are popular and it will be Very Important that you use them. Until they're not important.

Maybe Apple will be better at staying relevant than Research in Motion/Blackberry.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#246

Post by throw0101a »

saagarjha wrote: post #149
throw0101a wrote: post #70

Lock-in doesn't last forever: just ask ICQ, MSN, and BBM. My sister used all of those things as she was growing up in the 2000s and 2010s. The flavour-of-the-day is now iMessage. She sometimes complains that I'm not on the system (supposedly handy to group chat with our mom), but I can't be bothered to follow the latest fad. We'll see how long that lasts. Maybe at some point the telcos and phone makers will eventuall…

RCS isn't end-to-end encrypted, unfortunately :(

Sure, but it'd be nice to have some of the other features that it offers.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#247

Post by charlesdaniels »

incompatible wrote: post #188
asclepi wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If someone wants to join the chat, then its on them to get on board with what everyone else wants. However, when a community of people chooses Whatsapp as the exclusive form of communication, everyone in that community is forced to get that app or be left out of the loop. Those who object to installing Whatsapp because of the serious privacy controversies surrounding its parent are left with no choice. This is wher…

I'd put the fault with the smartphone + software industry for failing to come up with a shared open/secure messaging protocol, with fault also to governments for not insisting on such a protocol, and fault also on people who willingly use proprietary systems including WhatsApp and Messages with rejection of "green bubbles". The current situation of competing proprietary non-interoperable systems seems ridiculous.

matrix.org seems very promising!

I've been using riot.im for some time and have generally been pleased with it.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#248

Post by mandelbrotwurst »

incompatible wrote: post #188
asclepi wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If someone wants to join the chat, then its on them to get on board with what everyone else wants. However, when a community of people chooses Whatsapp as the exclusive form of communication, everyone in that community is forced to get that app or be left out of the loop. Those who object to installing Whatsapp because of the serious privacy controversies surrounding its parent are left with no choice. This is wher…

I'd put the fault with the smartphone + software industry for failing to come up with a shared open/secure messaging protocol, with fault also to governments for not insisting on such a protocol, and fault also on people who willingly use proprietary systems including WhatsApp and Messages with rejection of "green bubbles". The current situation of competing proprietary non-interoperable systems seems ridiculous.

My understanding is that the Signal protocol is exactly that and is even used (or at least claimed to me used) by WhatsApp under the hood, although obviously we shouldn't take them at their word re: the details of their implementation / that they aren't capturing / collecting / sending user input before and/or after the "ends" of the "E2E", so to speak.

The issue isn't as much the lack of an open and secure messaging protocol as it is an inability to build a social network on an open client that is as large as the ones that private corporations have been able to build with their closed source solutions.

Their adding of additional features into their messaging apps that add both usability and complexity makes this an even more difficult barrier to overcome.

Re: US Gen Z and the iMessage Lock-In

#250

Post by mdszy »

tpush wrote: post #120
mdszy wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah fuck americans am i right totally has nothing to do with the fact that it's a built in app where you don't have to do anything extra to set it up no-sir-ee it's the americans who are bad!

Effectively no human with a smartphone outside the US finds having to install an app to communicate with other people in a cross platform way a burden enough to stay with iMessage. Either Americans are uniquely lazy when it comes to installing apps on their phone, or this argument doesn't hold any water.

or maybe, since it's already built in and works just fine for them, they use it

most people don't give enough of a shit to install another app to chat with people when what they have is just fine

friendly reminder that most people don't give a shit about tech in general and just want to use things that work

you can calm your hate-boner for america whenever you want

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