No they wouldn't. iOS has more customer loyalty than Android does. This is a fact.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Explains Why iMessage Hasn't Expanded to Android
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
No they wouldn't. iOS has more customer loyalty than Android does. This is a fact.
I was really hoping it would go to Android. Only reason I don't use iMessage is because I occasionally switch back to Android for a few days or weeks before switching back to iPhone. It causes too many issues in that scenario to use it.
I had a Samsung Galaxy S7 for about a month. Great phone, but there's just no replacement for iMessage on the Android platform. I'm back with Apple again, with a 6S Plus. Fortunately, I only have my gardener, one friend, my brother-in-law, and my wife's three nieces on Android. And actually her nieces almost never use text, they always Snap Chat with me (God I hate Snap Chat).
I thought it would be a mistake for Apple to open iMessage up to Android, because it's clearly superior to anything the Android platform has. And it looks like it's about to get much, much better.
I thought it would be a mistake for Apple to open iMessage up to Android, because it's clearly superior to anything the Android platform has. And it looks like it's about to get much, much better.
Not bull. I use Apple devices exclusively and Apple by not having an Android counterpart to iMessage complicates my device messaging experience. I don't want to send text messages and I don't want to have to install third party chat clients. But I need to because of this stubborn thinking on Apple's part. They are making communication more difficult for me and this is supposed to keep me using an iPhone? There's a reason most people have WhatsApp installed—it's cross platform. Apple need to wake up.
They've stated repeatedly that they don't collect user-identifying data, only usage data. Whether that is true or not I don't know, but that's what they've stated.
Makes sense that they would port Apple Music over to Android. Apple can make lots of money off that move. There's no monetary incentive to port Messages. You're not going to gain lots of new users by giving them your software IMO.
I'm genuinely surprised that the entire body of this article doesn't simply read:
"Because: no-duhhh!"
"Because: no-duhhh!"
Well, I don't know about that, but for me, and as a developer, there's a bigger picture there. Apple focuses on experience (well, at least they try to), and with a OS/HW you cannot control, it is difficult to have a system that can provide the best experience, and also consider for apple iMessage is not an App, it was never meant to be an app, it is another ecosystem and they are just scratching the surface of it with the new API for this. I wouldn't be surprised we see a iMessagekit in the future.
Android is great for development and do great things without any constraint, but that actually is also a bad thing. As a consumer and developer, you just want to be sure every version on every equipment will (in Apple's words) "just work", that is not even close to be easy on Android...you buy any Android HW and most likely you won't be able to install the next version, and if you can, could you do the same two versions later? and will ALL the apps work the same?, all of them on all the HW, all the OS versions?...that's very difficult to achieve properly every time. Not that apple makes it every time, but it is definitely more easy.
It might go open at some point, but they are just starting, so I don't see this going to either windows or android at the moment.
No what's dumb is that (for so many) data caps are so stingy for the excessive price they pay that using iMessage (or any messaging app) for light message and picture sending should be a concern at all.
In a wide-ranging commentary piece about WWDC 2016, tech journalist Walt Mossberg included an interesting bit about why Apple has not expanded iMessage to competing software platforms like Android.Last week, a questionable rumor surfaced claiming that Apple planned to announce iMessage for Android at WWDC 2016, but the keynote passed without any mention. Apple's executive team evidently views iMessage as a big enough selling point to keep it exclusive to Apple devices like the iPhone and Mac for now, despite Android having over 1.4 billion active users worldwide as of September 2015.
Article Link: Apple Explains Why iMessage Hasn't Expanded to Android
I don't this it is such a bad idea to keep this to the iPhone platform. I have not looked at the numbers in a while, but if memory serve, Apple does not have the marketshare for phones, but they still crush the competitors in revenue. I think I message is pretty amazing vs the Android alternative, including the ability to leverage Wifi, and the updated will make it even more fun to message.
It's also a fact that while Tim Cook is in charge, Apple will continue to see stock plummet and that loyalty number will decrease faster and faster.
Other messaging services have no issues with that. Apple surely didn't see a problem with putting Apple Music on Android. IT"S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!!!!!
and you sir do yourself a favor and stop killing those apps! memory is there to be used and make your device faster whatever device you are using!!! and not just being there there unused coz you think its better. if you read up on the web reloading an app into memory will eat more battery than having it sitting and waiting for you in memory, ios pauses apps so they dont eat battery and only allow background activity for small parts of an app that poll data. e.g a messaging app.
It doesn't make any sense for Apple to bring one of the biggest selling points of the iPhone to Android. They simply would never be able to monetize iMessage enough to make up for the loss of iPhone sales as quite a few people are sticking with Apple solely because of iMessage.
It's sad (and telling) that we've reached the point where iMessage is considered one of the iPhones biggest advantages. It used to be the iPhone was clearly superior hardware and great software features were just a bonus. I remember the days where we happily accepted no MMS or landscape keyboards because Apple said we didn't need them...but the device was so much better than anything else that we didn't care.
There's only a few actual Android screen size categories. And heck, iOS programmers already have to deal with 3.5", 4", 4.7" and 5.5" (along with iPad sizes) displays.
As for the OS, what iMessage does can undoubtedly be handled by even the oldest versions.
The reason is much simpler: they'll lose customers if they supported iMessage elsewhere. Plus, with many times more Android devices out there, perhaps they're also worried about overloading their servers.
Ironic that by your comment it seems you do not know what either "definition" or "inferior" mean.
If they wanted more users they would port to Android, plain and simple. Right now I always use whatsapp for group chatting, as many people I know are on Android. If they would make iMessage cross-platform, I'm sure a lot of people would prefer to use that.
what relevance does a messenger have.. when it s not able to communicate with 80 percent of mobile users?
iMessage could be the next big thing for apple.. if released as a multiplatform app.. like iTunes
iMessage could be the next big thing for apple.. if released as a multiplatform app.. like iTunes
I'd be willing to give Android a shot if it had iMessage. And that is exactly what Apple doesn't want. iMessage and message and the quality of iOS apps compared to Android is what keeps me using the iPhone.
But like I said in another thread, why would someone spend 900 dollars on an iPhone when they can get a Nexus for 350 and still use iMessage? Cost is a driving factor for many people.
But like I said in another thread, why would someone spend 900 dollars on an iPhone when they can get a Nexus for 350 and still use iMessage? Cost is a driving factor for many people.
Dunno. Good question.
That's why I said "perhaps". If they do, then there's likely an extra cost factor for a higher load.
And Apple has developed Apple Music for Android, so they have no problem coding for the Android ecosystem. The thing is, they knew they can make money off bringing Apple Music to Android, without jeopardizing their own devices/sales. iMessage on Android would mainly be just service for consumers, because what would Apple really have to gain? Certainly not money or getting people to buy their products...