“A couple years ago, an unnamed Apple executive told veteran tech journalist Walt Mossberg that the company wasn’t interested in bringing iMessage to Android,” Jared Newman writes for Macworld. “His explanation was obvious to anyone who understands how Apple operates: Excluding the popular messaging software from other platforms helps Apple sell more of its own hardware.”
“Maybe that’s not true anymore. In light of last week’s news that Google is backing a next-gen version of text messaging with iMessage-like features (officially called RCS, but nicknamed ‘Chat’), the time is right for iMessage to arrive on Android, and not just as a self-defeating goodwill gesture,” Newman writes. “For Apple, releasing iMessage on Android would also benefit its brand and business.”
“Releasing iMessage on Android would also yield strategic benefits for Apple, ones that would far outweigh the minuscule risk of people abandoning their iPhones for Android,” Newman writes. “And with Google rallying carriers and phone makers around an alternative, now would be the perfect time for Apple to make its move.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A little birdie tells us Messages for Android already exists (and has for some time), Apple just needs to decide when/if to release it.
When/if they do, they should educate the public via blanket marketing that Apple’s Messages offers end-to-end encryption while Google’s “Chat” initiative is unencrypted and therefore woefully insecure.
Bottom line: Google builds an insecure messaging system controlled by carriers who are in bed with governments everywhere at exactly the time when world publics are more worried about data collection and theft than ever. — Walt Mossberg, April 20. 2018
SEE ALSO:
Google’s ‘Chat’ is not end-to-end encrypted like Apple’s iMessage – April 23, 2018
Messages and five other apps Apple really needs to make for Android – March 15, 2017
Why I remain unconvinced when Apple denies plans to introduce iMessage to Android – June 17, 2016
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
I got a message for Android….right here.
There’s no one on Android worth talking to…
Wow.
Android users should then come here to MDN to talk to Apple users.
Troll!
how some people are willing to casually disparage hundreds of millions of other people simply on the basis of the smart phone that they use or their stance on a particular sociopolitical issue.
We live in a time when the people who desire power and wealth have honed their tools for dividing, indoctrinating, and controlling their target audiences. But it would not work without the cooperation of the populace to be so easily manipulated and to access misinformation as the truth.
I grow more cynical each and every year — and with good reason. The call to moderation, logic, and reason falls on far too many deaf ears.
correction
“When I’m watchin’ my TV
And that man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarrettes as me
I can’t get no, oh no no no”
-Keith Richards and Mick Jagger
“I grow more cynical each and every year — and with good reason. The call to moderation, logic, and reason falls on far too many deaf ears.”
The tribal conditioning is strong, and made stronger by echo chambers created by social media.
It’s also entitlement, thinking one’s own side is 100% right all the time, no compromises, no redeeming values whatsoever. The older boomers and Gen-Xers think that it’s only the younger millennials who have it, but they are just as guilty if not more so of it themselves.
I think they should release it and make it so Android can see the cool things we send them but they can only reply with text so then they will want to get an iPhone to do all the cool things.. Also make sure to get the word out about security/encryption.
Might actually remind them why they’re not iPhone users. Apple control.
Troll!
Yes applecynic, you definitely are a troll and a hugely bigger one than me!
I answered to whatever. I didn’t call you a troll.
But there is potential.
I don’t know about messages because how would i help Apple with all this new traffic for what end? How would it help them?
Now, allowing Apple Watch on Android is a different story. They’d solidify their lead in Watch sales the same way they did the iPod when anyone on their Windows machine could use one. They’d sell a sh*t load more Apple Watches.
Off the cuff, an Android iMessages App may stem iOS to Android defection for users that have few friends/acquaintances using iOS.
No value in that. Just open Apple Watch to android and watch it become the new iPod
Depends on how far they open the API to Android. No sense not being able to use Google services on the Apple Watch if you’re an otherwise Android user.
Google services are all over my iPhone now
How much of the Google Services on your iPhone is accessible to your Apple Watch?
Hence opening up Apple Watch like Apple opened iPod to windows and seeing it blow up
this “rp” isn’t me, and I don’t share the same views as this person…..
But that RP is a registered user.
You must be Sparticus!
Apple should NOT release messages for android. The reason is simple… android is full of bugs and issues that it would take Apple way too much resources to make sure the app works well under many many many different versions of android and many many many different android phones.
Besides the problem of android being too fragmented to handle a single version of Messages, the app would probably crash a lot not due to the app but due to the environment it’s run under, which will cause android users much headaches and blame the crashes on Apple.
Finally, why should Apple waste their system resources to accommodate an operating system that clearly pirated them?
Unless the Android iMessages uses specific HW on Android phones I doubt fragmentation will matter much similar to how a Windows Application developer worries about if their App will work on every combination of HW Windows is running on.
Apple can’t release stuff for themselves why the hell would they start doing anything for android
Exactly.
5 simple reasons not to release iMessage for Android. Security, Security, Security, Security & Security…
The major reason iMessage to Android (not to mention feature phones) communication is unsecure is SMS. If Apple has an Android iMessage App, messages will most likely pass through Apple’s servers to ‘link’ the iOS and Android versions.
As it currently stands iMessages is secure ONLY when communicating between iOS devices.
Did they fix that little problem of what happens if you switch phones before deactivating iMessage?
There are processes that you go through when you sell certain things – houses, cars, cameras, smart devices, etc.
Oh… no. AN Apple imposed restriction, yes, restriction, should be removable at the owner’s request. Period!
Does Apple own the user’s phone number? They don’t? Then they need to restore full functionality, which they removed. Should the cops immobilize my car, they are subsequently required to remove the immobilization at the end.
Anyway, it’s all possibly a moot point, the question is whether it’s resolved.
Well, if practically all of Android will be on RCS/Chat, Apple does not implement RCS support, and iMessages continues only SMS (which will still exist for feature phone support), there may be less incentive for Android users to move over to iOS for messaging reasons, if that was even a significant reason in the first place.
Since RCS is a carrier ‘format’ if Android remains the predominant consumer of the format, I don’t see why placing an encrypted message in the RCS packet would not be possible for end-to-end security between messaging Apps..
Other than me, is there anotherAndroid user on this comment thread? It doesn’t seem that way.
If that hypothesis is true, it seems Apple users care more than Android users about iMessage for Android.
I use most everything. iPads, Android and Fire tablets, Samsung and Motorola smartphones, and Windows, Linux and Mac desktops. No smart speakers at home yet tho.
Okay. We’re up to two now. And your comments also support a more open environment. Needless to say, I agree.
You are on MACdaily news. Not exactly rocket science is it? 🙄
Did you vote Trump too? 😄😄😄
Seems like iPhone users are overly concerned about an Android application.
As far as whether I voted for Trump…. I’m not an iPhone user, why would I choose one authoritarian and reject another? You can take it from here. Maybe.
It’s also the right time to support Apple Watch on Android, while the Watch competitors are hamstrung with an old processor and tepid support from Google. Opening iTunes to Windows launched the iPod. Now it’s time for the Watch.
Fwck supporting Apple watch on Android and fsck Android qoqq suqqers!
Isn’t this what WhatsApp is doing right now?
The point is to own the market. That’s what Apple consistently overlooks these days. What would Facebook look like if they had restricted it to a certain device subset?
Apple could own messaging if they opened up iMessage. Instead, they’ll let someone else take it.
Fine with me, I’ve been migrating (painfully) away from Apple for a year now.
Stop being such a joke, Ballsaq