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“It’s time for Apple to fix texting”

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441–450 of 1001 posts

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

#441
post #116

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…

I'd rather live in a world with spam than a world where corporations get to decide what I run on my devices, and cripple a bunch of critical applications if I decide I want to, y'know, actually do whatever I want with the hardware I own. I'm not unsympathetic to Apple's difficulties and goals here (assuming this spam problem is actually the reason, though I'm skeptical that there aren't also self-serving reasons that…

[deleted]

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

#442
post #138

I don't love RCS[0], but Apple implementing it (including the E2EE extensions) would strike a huge blow to messaging fragmentation immediately, at least in the US. Hell, Apple doesn't have to ditch iMessage; they just have to support RCS for messaging with Android users, or group messaging with mixed Android/iOS devices. I would also (grudgingly) accept an opening of the iMessage protocol so Google could implement it…

> the current state of affairs is just a result of an anti-consumer corporate pissing match.

This would be true if Google didn't want to implement the iMessage protocol as you predict; but in the current state of affairs it's just Apple being anticompetitive.

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

#443
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google acting like RCS is the hot new standard is pretty disingenuous. In theory it's a standard, but in reality most carriers haven't been interested and haven't implemented it so the vast majority of RCS messages are routed through Google. I can't really blame Apple for not being interested in adopting a "standard" that's mostly Google pretending to be a standard.

RCS is infinitely better than the current state. Google isn't pretending it's a standard. They're trying to improve messaging between android and iphone uers. Apple won't because the current standard helps their business. It's pretty simple.

RCS has zero carrier support (in fact carriers are trying to develop their own competing standard). Why would anyone (Apple or otherwise) buy into an already fragmented Google "standard" knowing full well that Google has a pernicious habit of killing off messaging products?

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

#444

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 Android wants to join the party, then Android phone builders need to implement secure boot with hardware-signed attestation of non-rooted-ness, in the style of Apple T2 + macOS or Microsoft Pluton + Secure Boot. Until then, Apple iMessage will remain single platform.

This exists and has existed for years, via the SafetyNet Attestation API [1].

[1]: https://developer.android.com/training/safetynet/attestation

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

#445

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?

Yet…

But seriously, we all know spam and abuse from bad actors is a huge problem for any sort or platform. Email, phone calls, physical mail. Sometimes people will put fliers on your car window to spam it.

Same with VPS providers. Even my router gets random pings and port scans. Forums have to fight bots. It goes on.

I have even gotten iMessage spam, which can easily be reported.

It comes in waves and goes away.

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

#446
post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh yes, let’s ignore the fact that whatsapp has end to end encryption

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.

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

#447
post #419

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn't mean a whole lot.

If you don’t know what these words mean sure

I know what the words mean, but I don't know what the ends are doing. Facebook practically controls either end, unless users are reverse-engineering.

I also don't know what the middle is doing. Client still trusts the server to give the correct identity aka pubkey for the other clients. Server could give its own and mitm, like a corrupt root CA for TLS. Yes this requires more deliberate action on FB's part, so it's at least better than non-e2ee, but not trustless like people often claim. This issue isn't at all unique to WhatsApp.

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

#449
post #268
post #205

This is a US thing, right? Haven't received an SMS from a real person (in other words, all SMSes I get are 2FA etc) for, at least 5 years, maybe 10. Even people who use iPhones don't send SMSes, MMSes or anything as obsolete (including RCS). Everyone just seems to use WhatsApp and Telegram (or if they don't know any better, Viber). Locale: Central Europe. So, why would anyone stick to the obsolete stuff? Are there re…

does WhatsApp still require you to hand over all your contacts to them when you sign up? None of my contacts gave consent for me to share their private information.

on iPhone you can refuse and it still works. source i use whatsapp this way

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

#450

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yes it is a thing, from January 2022... Why Apple’s iMessage Is Winning: Teens Dread the Green Text Bubble https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-apples-imessage-is-winning-...

That has nothing to do with the readability of the color scheme of your (outgoing!) texts though.

Yeah, they're separate effects, but both triggered (because I wouldn't say teenagers being cruel is _caused_ by Apple) by the way Apple treats SMSs
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