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All-in-One Chat App 'Beeper' Brings iMessage to Android and Windows Using Workaround

Why?
We've tried these "multiple-chat" applications in the past.. they are cute and fun for a bit, but ultimately, no one uses them..
There is a reason some of these chat platforms are separate..
I don't need to chat with my boss on the same app I chat with my spouse...
 
reubs said:
Wasn’t an original promise of iMessage that it would be cross-platform? I guess Apple ended up realizing it was actually a draw for it to be exclusive...
Click to expand...
That was FaceTime, and lawsuits killed the rollout plan, as FaceTime had to be rearchitected in order to not violate the patent.

www.imore.com

Why FaceTime quality might have dropped, why Apple still hasn't released it as an open standard, and patent trolls

Way back in 2010 when FaceTime was first announced alongside the iPhone 4, Steve Jobs said that Apple would be releasing it as an open standard, presumably so other companies could make compatible cli
www.imore.com www.imore.com

I believe this suit may still be in court, as the company mentioned in the above-linked article just won another round against Apple (there was an article here within the last two weeks).
 
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I'm a big iMessage fan, but I don't think I'd go this far if I didn't have the devices to support it.

In what real world scenario is someone exclusively reachable via iMessage?
 
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MrKennedy said:
I'm a big iMessage fan, but I don't think I'd go this far if I didn't have the devices to support it.

In what real world scenario is someone exclusively reachable via iMessage?
Click to expand...
It’s not about exclusivity. I’m easily reachable by regular sms but regular iMessage features aren’t fully capable with it. Like memojis. They look ugly in sms. Message reacts. Mentions. The features meant for iOS and iMessage come in as individual messages “Kendall heart reacted to your message”. It just looks Clunky and annoying.
 
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b13o0r12e3 said:
if you know, you know

Adium.png
Click to expand...
Good times back then with Adium. Combined with Growl it was awesome. Installed it as one of the first apps when I bought a 2007 17” MacBook Pro and switched to MacOS for the first time in my life. 😍
 
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SSDGUY said:
I'd love to have a better solution for texting and sharing with Android users in my family without all the image and video compression and stalled group messages … but I ain't paying $10 per month for that convenience.
Click to expand...
The best way right now is to use Google Photos to share pictures. Of course, the problem is it takes you away from the messaging app.

Or use Wechat. Wechat allows you to send the full size of your pictures. You can also do a workaround in Whatsapp by sending photos as documents, but that won't show the thumbnail in the chat and people would probably not like it.
 
PBG4 Dude said:
That was FaceTime, and lawsuits killed the rollout plan, as FaceTime had to be rearchitected in order to not violate the patent.

www.imore.com

Why FaceTime quality might have dropped, why Apple still hasn't released it as an open standard, and patent trolls

Way back in 2010 when FaceTime was first announced alongside the iPhone 4, Steve Jobs said that Apple would be releasing it as an open standard, presumably so other companies could make compatible cli
www.imore.com www.imore.com

I believe this suit may still be in court, as the company mentioned in the above-linked article just won another round against Apple (there was an article here within the last two weeks).
Click to expand...
Oh, right. Thanks!
 
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Imo there's a golden window of opportunity for Apple here. The recent backlash against Whatsapp has triggered many people to reconsider their choice of messaging app. Telegram is unencrypted by default, and they can delete groups when they want to. Signal has potential hosting issues. Wechat is... China. Facebook messenger is... Facebook. Google is... just circling around by itself in the corner.

Apple with their privacy brand can come in with their Apple messages app on Android with iMessage support. Charge like 99c a month or something, and I'm sure people will flock to it. The Whatsapp thing has opened up some eyes, and I've seen some of my friends willingly donate to signal. Apple has the opportunity to go in and attract these people, people who are increasingly aware of privacy and are willing to pay for it.

99c a month for even just a small percentage of Android users is a lot. Or do it for free for basic messaging, and charge 99c monthly subscription for things like the effects and memoji. Come on Tim, money is calling. You like money, right? :D
 
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dmylrea said:
Why? You have to have Apple hardware to make this work, and seriously...how many people are actually going to want to do this? Hardly a threat to Apple's gigantic bankroll. I don't hear anyone complaining about Hackintosh development and use -- I would think that would be much more of a financial threat than some person who already owns a Mac or an iPhone and wants iMessges on that device. Who cares? This is a kludge solution at best.
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I complain about Hackintosh development and use. It just usually results in my messages being deleted even though there's a forum rule against copyright infringement.
 
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Reactions: freedomlinux and pdr733
yes, at this point I really don't know why apple doesn't make imessage available on android.. i don't think it's keeping users from switching to android products and the world and families are becoming more multi-os between tablets, computers (chromebooks), of course mobile phones etc.. sure, make it a service that one has to pay something for, but just make it available, maintain the security integrity (E2E) but just release it for crying out loud!
 
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I get that Apple loves to use this as a sales incentive, but as a user it would be absolutely delightful if I could rely on accessing iMessage no matter the platform I am currently using (ala the paradigm of Slack and Microsoft Teams).
 
ian87w said:
The best way right now is to use Google Photos to share pictures. Of course, the problem is it takes you away from the messaging app.

Or use Wechat. Wechat allows you to send the full size of your pictures. You can also do a workaround in Whatsapp by sending photos as documents, but that won't show the thumbnail in the chat and people would probably not like it.
Click to expand...
yeah, it's all definitely a minor inconvenience, and since there's a only a couple people in my immediate circle n Android that I share photos and videos with via text, it's less of a concern. Currently, to those Android users in my family, I just tell them to upload content somewhere else and text me the link.
 
I use MS Teams. In my opinion it really is the best solution for work. I get messages on my iPhone and MacBook Pro.
It doesn't care if you are on windows or Mac, iPhone or Android.
 
Khaleesi Kendall said:
It’s not about exclusivity. I’m easily reachable by regular sms but regular iMessage features aren’t fully capable with it. Like memojis. They look ugly in sms. Message reacts. Mentions. The features meant for iOS and iMessage come in as individual messages “Kendall heart reacted to your message”. It just looks Clunky and annoying.
Click to expand...

Right. I just don't understand jumping through hoops to have iMessage on unsupported devices. Just seems niche.
 
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