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

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

#581

Post by calsy » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:29 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…

Any limitations/restrictions that Apple imposes on their devices that usually provides them some competitive advantage is ALWAYS explained away as 'protecting' the user. It's a joke how often this corporate spin is used as an excuse.

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

#582

Post by navanchauhan » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:30 AM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #557

kriskrunch wrote: post #510

I setup a BlueBubbles server on a spare Mac and I installed the BlueBubbles App. Boom. iMessages on Android. Done. Messaging is already extremely fragmented. BB is only the eighth messaging app on my phone. Considering getting on Beeper to consolodate this madness. Matrix/Element was too rough to utilize as is. Almost everyone I text with is on iMessage in the US. 95% or more of my regular contacts. Many are often ou…

Yeah and there's also mautrix-imessage for those wanting to use element. I know it's rough setting up but there's a really great ansible playbook that makes it easy to maintain. I really love having all my messaging consolidated and not having all those privacy-invasive apps on my phone. Having my chats all in one big database is another boon. The playbook doesn't support mautrix-imessage but that's because that need…

mautrix-imessage is actually developed by Beeper. iirc they just send you a jailbroken iPhone if you subscribe to them (as far as I can remember)

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

#583

Post by navanchauhan » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:31 AM UTC

thomasahle wrote: post #572

kriskrunch wrote: post #510

I setup a BlueBubbles server on a spare Mac and I installed the BlueBubbles App. Boom. iMessages on Android. Done. Messaging is already extremely fragmented. BB is only the eighth messaging app on my phone. Considering getting on Beeper to consolodate this madness. Matrix/Element was too rough to utilize as is. Almost everyone I text with is on iMessage in the US. 95% or more of my regular contacts. Many are often ou…

Can this be done without setting up a private Mac server?

You don't have to setup on a dedicated Mac server. You could also use a jailbroken iPhone / iPod touch

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

#584

Post by worthless-trash » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:31 AM UTC

easton wrote: post #566

efitz wrote: post #528

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uh, don't you need an Apple ID to activate an iPhone?

Nope, you can just click skip. If the device had previously been enrolled in Find My iPhone you have to log back in to turn it off, but if it’s fresh out of the box you don’t have to hook it to iCloud/iTunes at all (and that’s not uncommon to block in corporate environments).

Not on my end, no skip button.

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

#585

Post by shmoe » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:31 AM UTC

_-david-_ wrote: post #525

shmoe wrote: post #438

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't think Google can blacklist apps?

You could compile AOSP (and remove any blocks in it) yourself or get a ROM that doesn't block an app. You can't do that with iOS.

True, but we're talking single digits if not less than 1% of the Android population there, regardless of the ability. And if you add Google services you're right back where you started.

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

#586

Post by worthless-trash » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:32 AM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #544

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> rather live in a world with spam than a world where corporations get to decide what I run on my devices So use Android! I have friends with Android. We use WhatsApp abroad and SMS at home. The messages are green and I can't tapback. That's it!

But group chats don't work over SMS. That's a big deal-breaker IMO.

I'm pretty sure ive had group chat work over SMS in australia, much to my dismay.

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

#587

Post by navanchauhan » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:33 AM UTC

eftychis wrote: post #580

jesprenj wrote: post #576

What's wrong with continuing to use SMS exactly? Why do we need to use alternative incompatible protocols if existing protocols are reliable and work even of 20 years old devices? Both iPhone and Android support SMS and I see no improvement in either using iMessage or RCS. I may be biased because I don't use neither of them.

The only reason (from my POV) to stop using SMS, is that it is a security nightmare (no integrity or authentication, can be MITM) and for some crazy reason everyone has decided it is a splendid idea to use it for 2FA. That is like using wolves to protect your sheep -- sure if you keep them well-fed it might work... Otherwise, Google is complaining because iMessage is a moat Apple has, that Google can not break on its…

How exactly does RCS fix the security issue? The texts are only E2E when both users are using the Google messaging app, plus group messages are just plain text

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

#588

Post by JumpCrisscross » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:33 AM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #544

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> rather live in a world with spam than a world where corporations get to decide what I run on my devices So use Android! I have friends with Android. We use WhatsApp abroad and SMS at home. The messages are green and I can't tapback. That's it!

But group chats don't work over SMS. That's a big deal-breaker IMO.

> group chats don't work over SMS

I have multiple group chats running with mixtures of iPhone and Android users.

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

#589

Post by harry8 » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:33 AM UTC

It's time for SMS to BE SMS. Always.

If I want to use something else, I'll use it.

If a contact of mine who uses apple tries to SMS me that should work as expected. Always. It _never_ does. Apple intercept it and screw it up to try for their vendor lock-in anti-competitive behaviour.

Apple need to be broken up every bit as badly as google do. It's just insane the way they _both_ behave. It's a competitive race to see how can screw the public harder, faster and deeper. It has to stop, now!

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

#590

Post by sangnoir » Wed, Aug 10, 2022, 1:34 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…

> Until then, Apple iMessage will remain single platform.

This seems to be a strawman - no one is asking for cross-platfrom iMessage, just for Apple to upgrade it's officially-supported cross-platform messaging stack (SMS) from the 90s.