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Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

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Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#91

The EU should, like they did years ago with PC operating systems, mandate a default browser selection screen. And a default messenger selection screen. And a default app store selection screen. Not that we'd get it in the US but it would help reduce Apple/Google market capture efforts.

Let's think higher than that. Let's just get rid of megacorporations: let's mandate that any company with more than amount of X employees should be broken down into smaller divisions, with a separate board and CEO, and make it that no one can be on more than one board at the same time. Make X low enough, 250, and all of this would go away: no more corporatism, no more monopolies, no more special groups interests payi…

As with any system, it is just a matter of time before loopholes are found and exploited.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#93

The EU should, like they did years ago with PC operating systems, mandate a default browser selection screen. And a default messenger selection screen. And a default app store selection screen. Not that we'd get it in the US but it would help reduce Apple/Google market capture efforts.

Let's think higher than that. Let's just get rid of megacorporations: let's mandate that any company with more than amount of X employees should be broken down into smaller divisions, with a separate board and CEO, and make it that no one can be on more than one board at the same time. Make X low enough, 250, and all of this would go away: no more corporatism, no more monopolies, no more special groups interests payi…

Sure, it might seem appealing to do this now, but had this existed 20 years ago the convenience and pros of the Apple ecosystem wouldn't exist. You don't get the hardware+software experience that Apple provides. You'd get stuff like handoff (such as the handoff to Homepod functionality where you tap your phone to the top of it) maybe 10 years later when enough people finally get together to make a standard for it. Apple Silicon and the Rosetta translation layer never happens.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#94

The EU should, like they did years ago with PC operating systems, mandate a default browser selection screen. And a default messenger selection screen. And a default app store selection screen. Not that we'd get it in the US but it would help reduce Apple/Google market capture efforts.

How many people are still using safari on Mac? Everyone I know uses chrome, but maybe that’s just in the states?

Chrome being viable is fairly recent: https://9to5google.com/2023/02/28/chrome-safari-battery-life....

In fact, I didn't realize it's actually viable until now.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#95
post #49

An open source client for iMessage is going to be used for fraud and spam. Before this, a device being blocked by Apple because it was used for fraud or spam would increase the cost of business for fraudsters and spammers. But now it's a matter of picking a new phone number. Of course Apple would try hard to stop this.

Is spam a good reason for Apple to keep their iMessage garden exclusive? SMS is also widely used for spam.

[flagged]

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#96
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Nobody' in the EU uses iMessage, even on iPhones. Everyone here already uses Whatsapp. This demonstrates a lack of a monopoly and how competition can flourish. Honestly - and EU-regulation that Apple faces over iMessage would just be collateral damage from EU targeting Whatsapp.

God I really wish we Americans would get on whatsapp

No thanks, iMessage is much better and not owned by Facebook.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#97

My guess is Beeper calculated this was likely to happen eventually (maybe not this fast), but that they would get good press on the initial launch and on the shutdown announcement and that press would be worth the technical investment they made. They do have a different service they still offer and some percentage of people are looking at that now.

Yah, this is a great runway to launch a chat app with real encryption.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#98

The EU should, like they did years ago with PC operating systems, mandate a default browser selection screen. And a default messenger selection screen. And a default app store selection screen. Not that we'd get it in the US but it would help reduce Apple/Google market capture efforts.

How many people are still using safari on Mac? Everyone I know uses chrome, but maybe that’s just in the states?

I use Safari as my daily driver on Mac because it syncs nicely with my iPhone and iPad (I don't see any point using a browser besides Safari on iOS/ipadOS), and is better on battery life. I also regularly use Chrome on Mac for things like front-end development.

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#99

My guess is Beeper calculated this was likely to happen eventually (maybe not this fast), but that they would get good press on the initial launch and on the shutdown announcement and that press would be worth the technical investment they made. They do have a different service they still offer and some percentage of people are looking at that now.

I find this a bit confusing though. It seems like this was an inevitable outcome, but what do they gain from this technical investment aside from exposure. Their website doesn't steer users to anything other than the now cut-off Beeper mini?

Re: Apple cuts off Beeper Mini's access

#100
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Nobody' in the EU uses iMessage, even on iPhones. Everyone here already uses Whatsapp. This demonstrates a lack of a monopoly and how competition can flourish. Honestly - and EU-regulation that Apple faces over iMessage would just be collateral damage from EU targeting Whatsapp.

I mean, if everyone is using Whatsapp, that is effectively a monopoly. I am curious as to what the runner ups are in the EU however. Meanwhile, wait until Mr. Zuckerberg looks for new ideas to monetize their messaging ecosystem.

Both Telegram and Signal. Threema is a distant 3rd ime.
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