Mark Zuckerberg Says Apple's iMessage is Facebook's 'Biggest Competitor by Far'

[MacRumors]

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday singled out Apple's iMessage mobile messaging service as Facebook's "biggest competitor by far." (via CNBC).

The comments were made to investors during an earnings call for the company's third quarter performance, in which the Facebook CEO admitted the social platform was losing out to iMessage in "important" territories like the U.S., where iPhone sales are highest.

"Our biggest competitor by far is iMessage," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an earnings call on Tuesday with investors, referring to the messaging service built into the iPhone and other Apple products.

"In important countries like the U.S. where the iPhone is strong, Apple bundles iMessage as a default texting app and it's still ahead," he said.

The Facebook chief said the company had identified a shift in the way users are communicating, with many transitioning from publicly shared content to private messaging, thanks to services like Messenger, WhatsApp, and Apple's iMessage.

Zuckerberg also responded to vehement criticism from Apple CEO Tim Cook about companies that use people's personal information as a business model for profit.

"It's worth noting that one of the main reasons people prefer our services, especially WhatsApp, is because of its stronger record on privacy," Zuckerberg said.

"WhatsApp is completely end-to-end encrypted, does not store your messages, and doesn't store the keys to your messages in China or anywhere else. And this is important because if our systems can't see your messages, then that means that governments and bad actors won't be able to access them through us either."

Zuckerberg's reference to China is likely a dig at Apple, which recently transferred its China iCloud services from a hosting location in the United States to servers owned and operated by a state-run Chinese company.

The move means the Chinese government can use its own legal system to ask Apple for users' iCloud data, whereas before the government had to go through the U.S. legal system. Human rights and digital security advocates have questioned whether Apple will be able to maintain and protect its customers' privacy under the new Chinese laws.

During the earnings call, investors learned that Facebook had surpassed analysts' estimates on earnings per share in the third quarter, but had fallen short on revenue and active user projections.

Article Link: Mark Zuckerberg Says Apple's iMessage is Facebook's 'Biggest Competitor by Far'

 

[OllyW]

I'd rather just use iMessage for all my messages but around half of my friends have Android phones so I still need WhatsApp and Messenger.

 

[thecastle]

"It's worth noting that one of the main reasons people prefer our services, especially WhatsApp, is because of its stronger record on privacy," Zuckerberg said.


HAHAHAHAH he must be joking right????

 

[chabig]

...the Facebook CEO admitted the social platform was losing out to iMessage...

By "losing out" he really meant "losing data collection opportunities".

 

[djcerla]

Here in Italy it’s basically 90% WhatsApp, and people look at me in funny ways when I say I don’t use it.

As an example, my neighborhood built a community surveillance system, and it’s based on WhatsApp.

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Which really shows just how much of a monopolistic stranglehold Facebook enjoys.

 

[Bornee35]

Competition would require that facebook be in the same league as iMessage. They've been in the minors for a long time now.

 

[tubular]

Zuck. Privacy. What are these two words doing in the same sentence?

Remember, this is the guy whose app tricks you into uploading your entire contacts list when you install it on your iPhone.

 

[AppleMark]

The move means the Chinese government can use its own legal system to ask Apple for users' iCloud data, whereas before the government had to go through the U.S. legal system. Human rights and digital security advocates have questioned whether Apple will be able to maintain and protect its customers' privacy under the new Chinese laws.

Very interesting.

I wonder if the motivation was purely financial, rather then political, or both? In the same way Google exited China in 2010 instead of playing ball (censorship etc), but will now likely return, as it realised that it sacrificed too much revenue making such an ethical stand.

If I were a pro free speech and vocal Chinese iCloud customer, I would consider myself being hung out to dry and start deleting my emails etc.

 

[sunapple]

"It's worth noting that one of the main reasons people prefer our services, especially WhatsApp, is because of its stronger record on privacy," Zuckerberg said.

Or ONLY WhatsApp. If they had merged WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger when they bought it, so if the name would've changed, nobody would agree on this statement. I guess people don't realize WhatsApp and Facebook are one and the same.

 

[decafjava]

Too bad Threema, Signal and Telegram are not bigger competitors.

 

[OllyW]

Here in Italy it’s basically 90% WhatsApp, and people look at me in funny ways when I say I don’t use it.

As an example, my neighborhood built a community surveillance system, and it’s based on WhatsApp.

That's because Android has a stranglehold on the mobile market in Italy.

 

[sinsin07]

Curious he says iMessage is winning out.
Android has bigger base.
What is the most popular messaging app on android?
Could be the whole point of Z’s comment was to bring attention to Apples “bundling” of iMessage”.
No opinion on his comment, just an observation.

 

[69Mustang]

Competition would require that facebook be in the same league as iMessage. They've been in the minors for a long time now.

What does your comment even mean? With Messenger and Whatsapp, FB has two of the largest, most used messaging services in the world. Not sure how you get "in the minors".
[doublepost=1540989510][/doublepost]

Curious he says iMessage is winning out.
Android has bigger base.
What is the most popular messaging app on android?
Could be the whole point of Z’s comment was to bring attention to Apples “bundling” of iMessage”.
No opinion on his comment, just an observation.

I think you hit the nail on the head. He knows he owns the two largest messaging services in the world - by a wide margin - so he's indirectly trying to shine a deflective light on Apple's bundling of iMessage, while throwing some shade on Apple's privacy stace by mentioning encryption keys store in China.

 

[miflgr92]

I hate using Facebook Messenger. I don’t even have it installed on my phone. If a friend contacts me with that service, I usually don’t even see it until days later. When I do eventually read it, I tell them that they need to iMessage me in the future.

I used to like WhatsApp for staying in touch with friends and family on Android or overseas but it has really gone downhill since Facebook bought it. I’ve been slowly convincing people to use Telegram instead. It has a much simpler UI and none of the story junk that Facebook tries to force on every app they own. I hope to eventually delete WhatsApp entirely.

 

[Bornee35]

What does your comment even mean? With Messenger and Whatsapp, FB has two of the largest, most used messaging services in the world. Not sure how you get "in the minors".
[doublepost=1540989510][/doublepost]
I think you hit the nail on the head. He knows he owns the two largest messaging services in the world - by a wide margin - so he's indirectly trying to shine a deflective light on Apple's bundling of iMessage, while throwing some shade on Apple's privacy stace by mentioning encryption keys store in China.

Quantity doesn't equate quality. facebook messenger is garbage and WhatsApp is heading in that direction.

 

[BvizioN]

I'd rather just use iMessage for all my messages but around half of my friends have Android phones so I still need WhatsApp and Messenger.

Same here. I find myself more than often using iMessage to reply rather than starting a conversation. I like the Facebook messenger because everyone I know is using it but is a bit messy and have annoying adds.

 

[69Mustang]

Quantity doesn't equate quality. facebook messenger is garbage and WhatsApp is heading in that direction.

Ha! Quality? Eye of the beholder and all that I guess. They are all mimicking the same functionality. They are all trying to WeChat the hell out messaging apps; turning them into an ecosystem that never has to be left. It basically boils down to what your friends and family use.

 

[Bornee35]

Ha! Quality? Eye of the beholder and all that I guess. They are all mimicking the same functionality. They are all trying to WeChat the hell out messaging apps; turning them into an ecosystem that never has to be left. It basically boils down to what your friends and family use.

My largest grievance is FB messenger. I shouldn't see ads when sending a message. It's the true representation of what FB thinks a messaging app should be, data mining and targeted ads. The only credit they can take with WhatsApp is having enough money to buy it. I know when I open Message I'll only be seeing texts and messages.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Yeah...Facebook Messenger is going to lose. It’s a burden in my generation especially when it’s because that one guy in the group happens to have an Android.

 

[69Mustang]

My largest grievance is FB messenger. I shouldn't see ads when sending a message. It's the true representation of what FB thinks a messaging app should be, data mining and targeted ads. The only credit they can take with WhatsApp is having enough money to buy it. I know when I open Message I'll only be seeing texts and messages.

That's a legitimate complaint. I don't know anyone who likes ads. That complaint isn't reflective of your original comment though, which was vague and really didn't make any sense. You can limit the targeted ads based on your data. You can't eliminate ads, but you can limited the targeted nature.

 

[Bornee35]

That's a legitimate complaint. I don't know anyone who likes ads. That complaint isn't reflective of your original comment though, which was vague and really didn't make any sense. You can limit the targeted ads based on your data. You can't eliminate ads, but you can limited the targeted nature.

Better leagues = Higher quality standards. All subjective to the individual user though.

 

[zorinlynx]

I'd rather just use iMessage for all my messages but around half of my friends have Android phones so I still need WhatsApp and Messenger.

Apple could make a killing by selling an iMessage app for even a dollar on the Play Store.

It's unbelievable how many people use iMessage and even exclude their friends somewhat because they have an android phone and no iMessage. (They're not very good friends but that's moot)

That's the reason I mostly use Telegram. All my friends are on it and it's not tied to one phone platform.
[doublepost=1540992717][/doublepost]

My largest grievance is FB messenger. I shouldn't see ads when sending a message. It's the true representation of what FB thinks a messaging app should be, data mining and targeted ads. The only credit they can take with WhatsApp is having enough money to buy it. I know when I open Message I'll only be seeing texts and messages.

Apple is going that direction too a bit by shoving iMessage apps down our throats.

In iOS 12 they specifically changed the way to send photos into an iMessage app. The only reason I can see to do that (causing a less pleasant UI for sending photos) is to put the apps more in your face.

I have no interest in iMessage apps so the whole thing annoyed me considerably.

 

[Ebok]

I'd rather just use iMessage for all my messages but around half of my friends have Android phones so I still need WhatsApp and Messenger.

Why not just use regular text?

 

[Bornee35]

Apple could make a killing by selling an iMessage app for even a dollar on the Play Store.

It's unbelievable how many people use iMessage and even exclude their friends somewhat because they have an android phone and no iMessage. (They're not very good friends but that's moot)

That's the reason I mostly use Telegram. All my friends are on it and it's not tied to one phone platform.
[doublepost=1540992717][/doublepost]
Apple is going that direction too a bit by shoving iMessage apps down our throats.

In iOS 12 they specifically changed the way to send photos into an iMessage app. The only reason I can see to do that (causing a less pleasant UI for sending photos) is to put the apps more in your face.

I have no interest in iMessage apps so the whole thing annoyed me considerably.

If you go to the edit section in the app bar you can remove everything