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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”

#521

Post by throwaway9980 »

maxsilver wrote: post #476
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…

> This is a complete non-issue. No it's not. iPhones intentionally don't support modern cellular messaging. There's nothing wrong with insisting they support LTE spec (RCS), like every modern smartphone does. > The majority of people globally don't even use built-in messengers, they use WhatsApp or a similar application, Completely unrelated. This discussion has nothing to do with iMessage / WhatsApp / etc. The probl…

> iPhones intentionally don't support modern cellular messaging. There's nothing wrong with insisting they support LTE spec (RCS), like every modern smartphone does.

Clearly every modern smartphone does not support it because iPhone does not. iPhone is half of the US market. A standard that only has 50% market penetration is hardly a standard.

> Imagine if they did the same thing to, say, your telephone calls from your phone number.

I’d be happy if no one could reach me via my telephone number. There would be a lot less spam calls to ignore. I would welcome a system where no one could dial me without me granting them permission first.

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

#522

Post by upofadown »

Arathorn wrote: post #383
zaik wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use XMPP because unlike Matrix, XMPP is properly standardized and not a product by a single VC funded startup. If you ever have multiple independent implementations a single monolithic spec will always only be partially supported (or there is only a single useable implementation like Synapse), so no different than having extensions.

Have you ever considered that your constant FUD against Matrix just ends up hurting open communications in general? How about putting your energy into improving XMPP rather than constantly whining about the existence of Matrix. Matrix is properly standardised at https://spec.matrix.org by a non-profit foundation: https://matrix.org/foundation . Just because the core team created a startup to fund our work (3 years in…

Matrix ended up hurting open communications in general. Simply because it is another open, federated standard. It splits usage. Creating another standard is a time honoured way to degrade and destroy an existing standard. I am not claiming that Matrix is some sort of conspiracy to destroy XMPP but it serves that purpose anyway. Every time you make a new incompatible thing you take away from the old thing.

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

#523

Post by thomasahle »

seydor wrote: post #259

This is not very smart, as apple doesn't do such things unless coerced by law. Instead , android should drop/cripple iphone support until they adopt RCS

The problem is that in the markets that use SMS and iMessage heavily (the US) Android has the minority. In general minority players have to go for interoperability, while majority players can try to force everyone else out of the market.

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

#524

Post by 0x457 »

etchalon wrote: post #238
015a wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, you're asserting that the color choice of the bubbles ten years ago was unintentional? That whatever developer coded it had no instruction, Jony Ive & Steve Jobs were silent, and they used a random number generator to pick the hex code? And additionally, you're asserting that its impossible to change or improve? That its just such an intractable problem which we inherited, and changing it would be such a herculea…

I'm asserting that a decision was made that SMS messages were green. Then a decision was made that iMessage messages would be blue. I'm asserting this was not done with animosity. It was a decision by Apple's UX team to make it easy to visually identify the difference between the message mechanics and capabilities of the end-user. It is remarkably simple, effective and easily understood. If Apple chose to make it so…

While true, prior iMessage it was only green bubbles. However, iMessage was released with iOS5 and iOS5 and every iOS prior apple went flat, used very different green: https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/2014/10/04/9ddbf98c-4b94-11e4-b6...

Now compare it to green bubbles today. Anyways, when I had iPhone, flat green bubbles annoyed me. Not because "hurr-durr I have a iPhone and you don't" but because SMS lacked many features and was hella slow to send. Plus, pretty much anywhere I lived I had horrible cellphone reception which made sending SMS a nightmare.

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

#525

Post by _-david-_ »

shmoe wrote: post #438
kelnos wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

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.

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

#526

Post by rprospero »

deadbunny wrote: post #480
tempsy wrote: post #430

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SMS spam is real.

I've not had a single SMS/messaging spam message in the last decade. In the UK if that makes a difference, maybe we have effective laws around it? Not looked into it.

I’m also in the UK and received two SMS spam messages last month, which wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary. Both were low effort fishing attempts along the lines of “You have been sent a package that requires the payment of customs fees. Please provide your account information at http://customs.uk.gov.scam.example.xn--horse-sw3b

I probably get more of those now than the “we’ve heard that you’ve been in an auto accident that wasn’t your fault” robocalls.

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

#527

Post by 8note »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #372
Spivak wrote: post #331

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

SMS is bigger than even iMessage, so if you can spam everyone with iMessage and more by using SMS, why would anyone bother with iMessage?

Bigger doesn't necessarily mean more profitable.

IMessage is full of profitable phone owners

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

#528

Post by efitz »

selectodude wrote: post #323
InitialLastName wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> “standard” tied to a phone number subscription that brings along all the retrograde privacy nightmares of Big Telecom since the bell system broke up. Is there a way to make an account with Apple that isn't tied to a mobile phone number? If so, I've never been able to find it.

You don't need an Apple ID to use iMessage. Just an Apple device.

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

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

#529

Post by GekkePrutser »

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…

I never get spam on any other networks either. Be it WhatsApp, telegram, signal or even matrix.

It's not that big a problem apparently, and doesn't require giving up that much control.

On the other hand I social never use iMessage. It's not very popular here in Spain at all because of the Apple-only thing. Android is far bigger in marketshare here.

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