“It’s time for Apple to fix texting” • Hacker News Board

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

#461

Post by pipeline_peak » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:10 AM UTC

tristor wrote: post #453

This is a complete non-issue. I have no idea why people are complaining about this, except as another way in which Android users are trying to force their ecosystem choices on everyone else. The majority of people globally don't even use built-in messengers, they use WhatsApp or a similar application, most of which uses similar stylistic design choices as Apple uses for SMS, so it's hardly an issue. I'm well aware th…

The second the guy in the video complained about Android users getting blamed as if it were an actual problem I questioned the age demographic they were targeting.

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

#462

Post by Macha » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:10 AM UTC

Rackedup wrote: post #432

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…

That is just ridiculous. I don't get random spam on Matrix/Element... it even handles video calls and more... Do you get spam calls on your iphone?

I do get random spam on Matrix/Element, a couple of times a month. I am in some big public channels though, which may make me a lower hanging target to find my matrix ID to send spam to

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

#463

Post by lmm » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:12 AM UTC

rootusrootus wrote: post #186

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny thing is the EU doesn't give a fuck and is going to force them.

I find it interesting how many HN'ers now think bureaucratic control of technology is a Good Thing(tm).

EU bureaucrats are marginally more accountable than Apple/Google middle management bureaucrats.

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

#464

Post by autoexec » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:13 AM UTC

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?

I've seen SMS spam maybe 3 or 4 times ever. Before Signal started permanently storing sensitive user data in the cloud (and refusing to update their privacy policy) I was using Signal for both secure communication and SMS/MMS and since I've moved away from them I still don't see any more spam now than I did then. I think the solution for the spam problem has a lot more to do with not giving your cell phone number out to every company who asks for it than it does what client you're using to read/store messages.

Of course the real solution should be on the network's end, but not giving out your number to any businesses is probably the best thing you can do while still accepting random texts from anybody.

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

#465

Post by thayne » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:13 AM UTC

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…

If that is the main reason, then why not use RCS when communicating with Android devices, and their own proprietary system when communicating with other iPhones. And or push to add an optional attestation to RCS that apple can use.

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

#466

Post by kazinator » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:13 AM UTC

shireboy wrote: post #439

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…

The gist of the article has been a soapbox of mine for years. We wouldn't stand for "you can only send Gmail email to other Gmail users" (Fidonet people know), and shouldn't settle for similar with messaging. That said, this spam angle is an aspect I hadn't fully considered.

How easily can you mail a Google calendar item to Google user, using non-Google software?

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

#467

Post by pineconewarrior » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:15 AM UTC

simonjgreen wrote: post #367

SMS to me is solely the channel for machines to force a bad MFA implementation on me and couriers to tell me something is on the way/nearly there/delivered. All person to person comms, without exception, iPhone or Android users, is via WhatsApp. Anecdata from UK.

I agree that SMS is obsolete, but I will not so willingly jump to another zuckerberg platform

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

#468

Post by Gigachad » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:15 AM UTC

collsni wrote: post #457

These comments are a firestorm. It would be nice for apple to adobt the rcs standard, would benefit native communications.

Why are "native" communications worth saving? Personally I prefer the current state where you can use whatever internet based platform you want and all these platforms are free to implement new features without spending decades trying to negotiate a new version between vendors and carriers. RCS right now is already and outdated and substandard platform.

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

#469

Post by hot_gril » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:15 AM UTC

xcskier56 wrote: post #456

hot_gril wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cause it's not terrible. It still works ok the way it is, and people tend to use FB Messenger or something if they want a more complex group chat with Android users in it. Considering that they do this even if it's an all-Android chat, I don't think it's Apple's fault, as scummy as they act with SMS. Also, people don't care for metric cause it's not better. Basing your system around the physical properties of water d…

I will agree that one of the few places that the imperial system is hands down better than metric is that on the highway it's roughly 1 mile per minute. That and it's just barely possible to run a mile in under 4 minutes, so makes for a nice clean time barrier. But these are just coincidences and are the exception not the rule

They are coincidences since these units were created well before modern cars, but they seem to have been created with reasonable relations to human constraints, instead of water.

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

#470

Post by hot_gril » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 12:18 AM UTC

scrollaway wrote: post #446

hot_gril wrote: post #414

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn't mean a whole lot.

Whatsapp and signal use the same encryption and the same messaging protocol. Piece of advice: As far as tech is concerned, HN isn’t a place where you can get away with talking about things you don’t understand. You’ll far too often run up against people who have more expertise in what you write about than you have expertise brushing your teeth.

I know what I'm talking about, and I'm detecting some arrogance.

Also, it doesn't matter here, but where are you getting that WhatsApp and Signal use the same messaging protocol? Might be missing something, but I don't see that they both use XMPP, if that's what you mean.