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“It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

android.com

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Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#331

Post by Spivak »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #173
altairprime wrote: post #59

Most businesses, consumers, and developers universally continue to ignore the primary reason that iMessage is a closed platform, rather than an app on every platform as iTunes is: Apple is using device serial numbers for anti-spam, supported by a fully-authenticated hardware and software stack that does not allow user modification. This permits Apple to simply “console ban” any Apple device that spams on iMessage. Th…

This is a lawyer excuse. I've had Signal for years and the number of spam messages I've received over it is none. It's not a real problem. SMS on the other hand... but iPhones receive SMS too, don't they?

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but that’s because Signal is teeny tiny. If Signal makes it to a billion users I guarantee it will happen to them.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#332

Post by selectodude »

kelnos wrote: post #251
Seanambers wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an iPhone user I do not like EU dictating how Apple software should work at all. The same with chargers as well. Sure we can all have a discussion about how it should work - but having bureaucrats decide is the worst idea ever.

> but having bureaucrats decide is the worst idea ever I agree wholeheartedly, but what's the alternative? The so-called "free market" (not that such a thing actually exists) clearly has not solved this problem for us.

It's a problem for you only because you want to use iMessage. iMessage is about as far from a monopoly as you can get.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#333

Post by simonjgreen »

kelnos wrote: post #285
simonjgreen wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your bubble is not representative of the whole world though. >80% of mobile devices are not iPhones. ( https://www.statista.com/statistics/272307/market-share-fore... ) 80% is not an edge case.

This is a subthread about someone not from the US being surprised at the messaging habits of people in the US, so I think quoting a stat about iPhone/iMessage penetration in the US is perfectly relevant. The US "bubble" is the only one that matters in this particular conversation, as it's specifically what this conversation is about.

Nothing in the comment I've replied to quotes a stat or references the US, and nothing in the grandparent comment references stats or talks about the habits of the US specifically either. I'm also not questioning the relevance of any posted stats. I'm really confused by this comment, is it a mis post from another thread?

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#335

Post by crazygringo »

pwpw wrote: post #234

This is such a weirdly US specific issue. It's hard to understand why people in this country refuse to adopt a data-based messaging service such as Signal or WhatsApp like the rest of the world has. Why are US citizens so set on having a terrible experience when messaging half of the population? How did other countries decide that using platform agnostic messaging services are better? I believe the UK has a similar s…

> This is such a weirdly US specific issue. It's hard to understand why people in this country refuse to adopt a data-based messaging service

It makes sense if you look at the history.

For various reasons, the US was late to the party on text messaging at all. I remember back in ~2002, traveling the world and discovering people used SMS, when back home in the US it didn't really exist, at least not between different carriers.

BUT internationally, text messages were also often expensive, a few might add up to the price of a coffee.

So, as soon as data plans became a thing, it was a no-brainer for everyone internationally to switch to data-based messaging (like WhatsApp) -- it could save you like a hundred dollars a month.

On the other hand, when carriers in the US sorted out compatibility issues and SMS's became a thing later on, it was generally unlimited on most monthly plans. So people in the US never switched from SMS to data messaging because there was no financial incentive to do so, like there had been around the world.

Seen in this light, it shouldn't be hard to understand at all. It's all about whether SMS's were expensive or free when data plans became popular.

And so for most people in the US most of the time, SMS does everything you need, so why on earth would you go download a separate app? Nobody's "refusing", they're just following the path of least friction and getting on with their day.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#336

Post by kelnos »

angryasian wrote: post #49
equalsione wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really is god-awful. RCS is a technology that benefits mobile operators, not users. Also, Google really aren't in a position to lecture anyone on this topic, given their N+1 approach to messaging services.

Its definitely a compromise, but Google is ultimately at the mercy of the carriers. We can sit back behind our keyboards and criticize but it is a way to get something going. I don't think carriers have any incentive to improve this area, and probably nothing would happen

> Its definitely a compromise, but Google is ultimately at the mercy of the carriers.

Are they, though? Google absolutely could have implemented an iMessage competitor, directly in the stock Android Messages app, and then required third-party Android manufacturers to include it as the stock SMS/MMS/"gMessage" app as a part of Android conformance testing.

But no, instead they choose to play games with Allo, Duo, Hangouts, Chat, etc., all of which are an optional download and need not be included in the stock install. And even if/when they are required, it's still an extra app that a user has to find, and understand why they should use it.

Now, I don't want them to do this. I want them to promote and support a federated, open standard; I don't want another iMessage. RCS is not great for many reasons, but at least it's not a walled garden.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#337

Post by asdff »

cgrealy wrote: post #223
stonemetal12 wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It comes preinstalled, works, is free. Why would I look for a different messaging app? What does WhatsApp do that the preinstalled, free, messaging app doesn't?

Group messages to anyone regardless of platform. SMS is crap for group chats, and imessage doesn't work if someone in the group isn't using ios. Now, you absolutely might not care about those things, but millions of people definitely do.

A lot of people I know use groupme for groupchats, especially because they support a lot of users, but then its texts for everything else because its simpler. Chat apps have shortcomings, especially if you live where data connections are spotty which is everywhere in America with a large indoor space. My grocery store might as well be a faraday cage for anything demanding my 4g connection, but SMS goes through instantly.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#338

Post by olyjohn »

etchalon wrote: post #190
zoover2020 wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it turns automatically green when you text a non iPhone device. You have no idea how much of a hot topic this is I modern bullying

It turns green when the message is sent over SMS, not when you text a "non-Apple device". You can send SMS messages to Apple devices, from an Apple device, if you're not signed into iMessage, or they're not, or if your data connectivity is limited, or theirs is.

This! I got sick of iMessage, and I disabled it completely on my iPhone. Everything was SMS, and it made moving my sim card between devices easier. I found that if you don't explicitly turn off iMessage before you ditch your iPhone, no other iMessage users will be able to message you. All my messages were green all the time.

Re: “It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

#340

Post by gjm11 »

lostgame wrote: post #3

I can’t take this site seriously. It says it’s ‘not about’ the green and blue bubbles. It is , and it’s largely that Apple has a vested interest in making their ecosystem look so much better in general. If I’m texting my friends with an Android and group chat, etc; isn’t working properly - I will automatically assume something about Android is broken, because it works perfectly to my other friends who use iPhones. Ap…

It seems likely to me that the site isn't particularly intended to be effective in making Apple fix their integration with non-iMessage texting. It's intended to be effective in raising awareness that Apple is deliberately doing a lousy job of integration with non-iMessage texting.
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