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"BlackBerry CEO Says U.S. Government Should Force Apple to Expand iMessage to Other Platforms"

Why? Can't they just use SMS?
 
HAHAHA... Who's going to watch Netflix on a Blackberry? With no tablet, there is no mass market to appeal to. It's a gimmick at best on a phone. And BBM has been around since 1999'ish and it came to the other platforms 15 years later. Way to innovate Blackberry. This is why they are on the bottom looking up. Better take that Samsung offer quick.

Blackberry was rotting from the top. you should read why things like BBM didn't come sooner. Jim Balsile (sp) tried to push BBM back in the day as an SMS replacement when Blackberry was the top, and he got shot down by his own partner.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...ackberry-is-failing/article14563602/?page=all

fantastic read to see just how they started their downwards trend
 
Hate on BlackBerry all you like

But Steve Jobs himself said that Apple was going to open-source Facetime:

"We're going to the standards bodies, starting tomorrow, and we're going to make FaceTime an open industry standard."

... but it never happened.

Imagine not being able to send email to someone who uses Windows or Linux? Instant messaging with images and file transfers, audio and video calls should be based on an open standard that everybody can use.

And no, I don't want to keep multiple programs running (Messages, Skype, etc) to talk with everyone.

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The government should force Blackberry to support BBM for my PS4, smart TV, Mac and Windows machines just for making this comment.

Dude, what about my first-generation iPod touch, my Nintendo DSi and my Commodore 64?
 
With this logic, all applications should be forced to be ported over to TempleOS, which I'm pretty sure only has a single user (the guy who made it).

I can't wait until fart apps rain down on the BlackBerry app store because they're all forced over from the iOS app store.

Exactly!

What happens when Apple and Google say "We can't port our apps to your platform, because it's not advanced enough"? :D

Like saying to all third-party keyboard makers "Why aren't your apps also on iOS 7?"

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While I don't agree that iMessage should be available to "EVERYONE" I would like if I could access it on my stupid work Windows PC much like Google Hangouts lets me text and message people. Would certainly make life easier when the wife is texting me since I somehow always manage to miss the texts on my phone.

I believe there's a device coming that will let you see iMessages on your wrist ;)
 
They're probably just desperate to keep their platform relevant.

I know diehard BB fans who switched as soon as a good alternative was found because 'security' can only go so far.
 
Reminds me of when Adobe petitioned the government to make Apple allow Flash apps on iOS.

http://www.dailytech.com/Report+US+Government+to+Launch+Apple+Antitrust+Probe+Over+iPhone+Flash+Lockout/article18287.htm

This actually has way more merit than BB's insistence. Adobe spent the time and money to create and just wanted it to be allowed. BB want's Apple to both create an app and open their servers and services to other platforms.

It's like insisting a successful dog walker walk my dog for free cause he/she is already in my neighborhood.
 
I don't use iMessages because not all my friends own an iPhone. [...] I just use my regular texting plan (unlimited) to text friends and family in the US and whatsapp for everybody else.

if youre texting your friends and family via the Messages app, then youre using iMessages -- unless youre in an unlikely scenario where nobody you know in the US has an iphone. i dont buy that tho.
 
Imagine not being able to send email to someone who uses Windows or Linux? Instant messaging with images and file transfers, audio and video calls should be based on an open standard that everybody can use.

And no, I don't want to keep multiple programs running (Messages, Skype, etc) to talk with everyone.

But we're not talking about email. There are open standards for sending messages. Like, a good one on the phone is the text message.

But shouldn't companies be allowed to profit from their ideas? Isn't that what capitalism is based on?

This seems to be more about BlackBerry worrying about the app gap rather than a serious plea for a change in society.
 
OMG Really

And BBM was so open to other platforms give me a break ... someone just put this company out of business already
 
No! If all apps had to be available on all platforms, then I wouldn't be able to bash Windows Phone's paltry app selection. :p

Btw, what's a BlackBerry?...
 
But Steve Jobs himself said that Apple was going to open-source Facetime:

"We're going to the standards bodies, starting tomorrow, and we're going to make FaceTime an open industry standard."

... but it never happened.

Imagine not being able to send email to someone who uses Windows or Linux? Instant messaging with images and file transfers, audio and video calls should be based on an open standard that everybody can use.

And no, I don't want to keep multiple programs running (Messages, Skype, etc) to talk with everyone.

----------



Dude, what about my first-generation iPod touch, my Nintendo DSi and my Commodore 64?

I suspect that had to do with the lawsuits on FaceTime.

You can't open source a standard/protocol unless you own it completely or have all of the patent agreements to allow the open-sourcing.

We probably won't see open-source FaceTime until 2020 or until all of the current patents expire.
 
But we're not talking about email. There are open standards for sending messages. Like, a good one on the phone is the text message.

But shouldn't companies be allowed to profit from their ideas? Isn't that what capitalism is based on?

This seems to be more about BlackBerry worrying about the app gap rather than a serious plea for a change in society.

yeah, I dont think BlackBerry has a leg to stand on in this situation.

There's nobody abusing a monopolistic position to block apps and features on Blackberry. Nobody wants to do it because its yet another 3rd (or even like 10th now) set of coding that they will need to write for.

For messaging apps, there's no monopoly. iMessages isn't the only messaging platform out there. Poeople have the right to choose if they want to exist in the iMessage walled sandbox, or an open platform of their choice (which there are plenty, Facebook Messenger, BBM, WhatsApp, Skype, Voodoo are just some that pop into mind)
 
Err, okay…how does this make any sense? iMessage is proprietary technology. Would you ask Ford Motors to share their engine and drive shaft patents/tech with Nissan? Would you ask a large pharmaceutical company to share name brand medication formulas with one another? No.

It's called capitalism, not communism.
 
Is it April already? Is this an April Fools Joke?

Ford should make parts that work with GM cars. Toyota should make parts for BMW. Let's make cars neutral too.

I get what you mean, and agree... but have you heard of the Toyota-BMW collaboration? They're working on the next Supra and it's going to be sick.
 
This is such an outrageous thing to say. He should be complaining to Zuckerberg to force Instagram on Blackberry, as well. "It's the most popular photo app... App Neutrality!" Good grief.
 
I've never understood this sort of argument... the cost of expanding iMessage to multiple platforms would be in the millions. It's not like Apple would simply flip a switch somewhere. How could the government possibly compel a company to create a new service or product out of thin air?

And Apple created iMessage and sells it for $0 because they hope that people buy more iOS devices and Macs because of iMessage. It gives Apple a competitive advantage. So there are two things that Apple could do logically: Create iMessage for other devices and sell it at a price higher than $0 to end users, or create iMessage for other devices and sell a license to the application to any device manufacturer who wants to buy it.

How much do you think BlackBerry is willing to pay?
 
Yes, please. I hate WhatsApp but many of my unlucky friends with Android rely on that Facebook-owned crap.
 
I don't need or want iMessage to be less secure, just because the CEO of BlackBerry wants access.

IIRC, BlackBerry's Messenger was once the gold standard for this type of thing, then they caved to government backdoor access to ordinary people's messages, and now they are an also ran. Feel free to read as much or as little cause-and-effect into that as you wish.
 
Here's the problem I see with this: You can't demand cross-platform compatibility of apps without there being a problem with smaller developers. Say the developer of Flappy Birds doesn't know how to program for BBOS 10. Does that meant he government must penalize him for only releasing an iOS app, because that's the one platform he knows how to code for?

And what about BBM? Blackberry had argued, and CONTINUES to argue, that BBM messages are only fully encrypted and have full security if everyone in on the conversation uses a Blackberry. You don't get the same security - so says Blackberry - if you use an iOS or Android device. So, I guess Blackberry has some work to do, huh?

And to be fair, in order for Blackberry to practice what they preach, ALL of the "Built For Blackberry" exclusive apps must now also be opened up to iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Kindle Fire Phone, Ubuntu, FireFox OS, S60, WebOS, Maemo...
 
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