This would help secure and grow their position in the messaging world. See the WhatsApp purchase for how valuable this is.
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Apple Rumored to Be Debuting iMessage for Android at WWDC
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This would help secure and grow their position in the messaging world. See the WhatsApp purchase for how valuable this is.
I was responding to the idea that this helps Apple.
Okay, but how does that help Apple? Messaging is a feature, not a product.
Yeah right now it lets you know if your blind date is an Apple fan. If the messages are green the you can conveniently be too busy for the date. Blue? You're in mate!!!
That was a bogus valuation - it only has value if they can monetize the App AND how is Facebook doing that?
If you suddenly have a large amount of new users signing up for an Apple ID account you can target market to them more than just a messaging app.
They then become potential mac owners, potential Apple Music users and potential switchers.
There is a lot of 'potential' to do Apple good in a very meaningful way.
It'd be like owning ICQ in the 90's. Marketshare = power (even if there's no money involved.)
Edit: or combine it with the rumours of full end to end encryption. Hey Google, you can no longer skim people's messages and use the data to your advantage. Apple 1, Google 0.
What many of said PLUS, Apple could use your data for targeted advertisements. They could also get numerous companies to pay them hard cash to get features built in, much like FB Messenger does. For example, looking for a trip and texting someone? Then the application would utilize Expedia's trip finder to locate things for you. Moving and need a moving van? You can probably see and understand the potential there.
Either way, it doesn't hurt. Apple gets a massive potential market. Even if they are not making money off of it, I do believe that it would benefit them in some fashion. Having that many people using your messaging platform really opens the door to numerous possibilities for monetization and future revenue.
Other than if it is a text sent to a foreign number where it will be very expensive, I've never gotten why it is so bad to see a green bubble. Almost every plan has unlimited texting so it doesn't seem like a big deal.
I really don't see people saying "well, now I have iMessage. Time to buy throw 1k down for a laptop"
So you think they'll throw money at something that won't make them any just to have "power" in the messaging space and/or spite Google?
The majority of Android phones do not have Hangouts as the default messaging app. If you buy most any of the top-selling Android phones you don't get stock Android apps as default. And Google already has another messaging app that they hope will replace Hangouts and the other two hundred messaging apps they have released beforehand (slight exaggeration on the two hundred part).
Also, an Android user who has iMessage as their default messaging app could of course send messages to both Android and iPhone users (as well as any other phone that can receive SMS/MMS messages).
Mike
I personally would love to see it happen. It's absurd that in 2016 we still have things like platform-dependent messaging systems, I think it's high time. Between Airplay support on the HTC 10 and now this possibility, it's a good time to be on Android.
Now, having said that.... I know of at least three people who have stayed on iOS simply for the fact they were locked into using iMessage with family, etc. If they can get iMessage on Android they'll be gone pretty fast. Simply because they all dislike how difficult and cumbersome iOS has become.
Now, having said that.... I know of at least three people who have stayed on iOS simply for the fact they were locked into using iMessage with family, etc. If they can get iMessage on Android they'll be gone pretty fast. Simply because they all dislike how difficult and cumbersome iOS has become.
I use it for my family, its VERY useful, outside of that, ya NO Bueno. They should call it "Find my Family" honestly.
I think it's a good move. However it really doesn't affect me. And for me, I have trouble wrapping my head around iMessage being a deciding factor whether to stay or leave the iPhone. Some people do seem to claim they only stay because of iMessage. But I guess since my friends and family all use WhatsApp which has always been cross platform - it's of little consequence. For others who I might text - I have unlimited texting. I don't find it cumbersome to use two apps. But that's just me. I'm also not a huge texter...
I'm not in the business of predicting, I'm saying that big companies don't always go after immediate cash. Particularly in the tech sector, power regularly comes in other forms.
Hmm okay, well I guess it's different in Europe (I'm guessing you are from there), than in the UK. Everyone is here using iMessage and I've never seen anyone use Facebook's WhatsApp (apart from continental visitors).
See how that works?
And yes, iMessage seems to be at least as popular as WhatsApp in the UK.
Adding a feature to it that generates revenue?
Apple Patent Highlights An iMessage Payment Service - Forbes
Yeah, the ironic thing is that iMessage made perfect sense back when everyone had unlimited data, and texts were expensive.
Now most plans are the exact opposite: unlimited texts and costly data.
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As for leaving the iOS platform if this works on Android, yes I think that's going to be a big result. Think of all the teens who are on iPhones mostly because of iMessage.
It's mind boggling that Apple would give up such an advantage. Assuming the rumor is true.
Why on Earth would someone buy an iPhone primarily for iMessage??? What does iMessage do that one of the many other messengers can't?
While I think it's a few years too late, opening up iMessage is a good thing. Apple is probably losing more money because some people think it's a closed, limited garden.
Exactly and not Apple Watch or iPad app either.
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Stupid question really. Video messages, audio messages, picture messages (better quality than MMS and free), etc...
Who knows.
But if the options are:
A:
Bring iMessage to Android
Lose iPhone sales
The End
B:
Bring iMessage to Android
Lose iPhone sales
Generate revenue from an iMessage Payment service
The End
... B sounds like a much better choice (and something Apple just might do), IMO.
You forgot option C:
Leave iMessage an Apple device thing.
That's an option, and a more likely one.