“Apple’s improved iMessages system is a tent pole feature within iOS with implications across Apple Watch and the Mac, and while the company insists it has no plans to extend the service elsewhere, I still think doing so is a logical step,” Jonny Evans writes for Computerworld.
“iMessages apps depend on app extensions that interact between the iPhone and Messages app and lets users send text, stickers, media files, and interactive messages, even including use of interactive messages,” Evans writes. “Apps can access device features such as the camera and Apple Pay for use by/within apps. App creators can create their own unique app interfaces within iMessage, so I fully expect digital marketing and brand sponsorships of viral sticker and apps packs.”
“The only problem is that there is little point sending an astonishingly funny and well-crafted iMessage using all the features the app now provides if the person you are sending to is not on an Apple platform,” Evans writes. “They won’t see the message. That’s why when Apple denies plans to introduce iMessage to Android I remain unconvinced.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Evans’ skepticism is well-founded.
SEE ALSO:
Why Apple’s holding back Messages for Android: Hardware sales – June 15, 2016
Apple’s new iMessage is great, but why the hell isn’t it on Android, yet? – June 14, 2016
Apple’s iMessage and Siri will allow iOS 10 users to send money via Square Cash – June 13, 2016
Apple to deliver iMessage to Android at WWDC – June 9, 2016
It is well founded. However, as I’ve detailed before, there are some serious barriers to putting iMessage onto the android platform. Most notably security and hardware support. If apple can make sure that iMessage only runs on fully encrypted android devices that have the necessary hardware to support all do the features, then they’ll deliver it. But otherwise they won’t. And anyone who suggests that Apple should put iMessage onto the google play store without qualifications is insane. Why in the world would they allow a 39.00 android phone run their Crown Jewels? They wouldn’t. If those android sufferers are too cheap to buy iPhones? Then they’re too cheap to buy iPhones.
There is no problem in placing an App on the Google Play store limited to a single device or class of devices. If Apple wants to limit the App to those that can support it, it can be done. You don’t actually believe you can install an app directly from Google Play that won’t run on the target device do you?.. Sideload maybe but not a direct download.
The problem with your comment is your audience.
The majority of “readers” here have no clue about android or the Google play store.
So you’re saying that the majority don’t bother to do the basics of debate of knowing the other side before commenting in the negative/attacking?
I fail to see what security has to do with it or what fully encrypted devices have to do with it. Sure, if your device is cracked, someone could read your messages, but so what?
A Ferrari has such a nice engine.
They should let me put one in my cheap car, for free.
Right
That’s right! 🙂
-Downloads imessage for android
-Need apple id to use imessage
That’s probably the problem there. It’s a turn off for Android users, or just users for that matter
Umm… I need a kik id to use kik, I need a Facebook id to use Facebook, I need a google id to use google services, I need a Dropbox id to use Dropbox, I need a yahoo id to use yahoo services…. I’m not sure how or why needing an Apple ID to use an apple service would be frowned upon by users… It’s just another id.
Can you explain?
Im not an Android user but i think android ecosystem doesn’t have icloud keychain
Don’t most people have iTunes accounts?
Screw Android. You want iMessage Happiness, then go buy Apple stuff.
If iMessage had not changed in such a dramatic way then I could see the reasoning behind adding it to Android. Now that iMessage has all these amazing and cool features it only adds another reason to switch from Android.
It would be madness to allow iMessage on Android. Keep it as a major point of difference on iOS.
How would Apple benifit from having it on Android rather than keeping this cool iMessage app upgrade exclusively to apple .. To draw more customers to iphone.
Jonny Evans normally writes good stuff but on this he’s off the mark by a mile.
Why would Apple want to take the time to build a version of Messages for an insecure, shoddy, half-baked OS that was created by a competitor that stole said OS from them?
“Across the industry, messaging’s big fault is that we already seem to be using too many incompatible services.”
No we’re don’t. Messages and FB are about it.
Yes there are others but what has that got to do with Apple??
Apple makes the best stuff for Apple customers, not for people who buy from thieves.
Apple is not adding yet another service, they’re enhancing their existing one.
Come on Jonny. Get it together.
Possible reason would be to be THE messaging app for smartphones.. With Android’s marketshare, iMessage could top the charts.. iOS device users will have less of a reason to install 3rd party messaging apps to communicate with their Android using friends and family and the ‘iMessaage lost my message’ problem would disappear when sending to former iPhone users that made the choice to use Android.
Apple will not add iMessage to Andriod because of one big reason. Android security.
Whilst I would love to get rid of Whatsapp, I don’t think Apple should waste time and money on developing an Android app. How would they monetise the service for Android users to cover the vast cost of handling all those messages? There are a lot more Andoid users than iPhone users so their network would be swamped. And how exactly would iMessage on Android make anyone more likely to buy an iPhone?
Beside Safari and Apple Music, has Apple ported apps to other platforms? I don’t honestly recall any others. Safari has been a flop. And I’m betting Apple Music was ported because a) Apple could clearly make money off it and b) the record companies probably insisted that Apple Music include other platforms.
So, what would Apple gain from porting iMessage? They can’t control the complete experience because they can’t third party extensions on the other platform. So they dilute the iMessage system. Plus, remember how BlackBerry ported BBM to other platforms? It was supposed to save the company or something. That didn’t work out so well.