Microsoft CEO Would 'Welcome' Apple to Bring iMessage to Windows

[rwalle]

"One major theme of Windows 11 is its openness to third-party app marketplaces and Microsoft's end goal of making the platform a center of creativity outside the bounds of its own Microsoft App Store."

What a bizarre statement. Windows has always been open to third party app marketplaces. Look at Steam for one example.

This is just lazy corporate smack talking.

What this really translates to is "we're jealous of Apple's revenue on their App Store and our own attempt was a failure so we're going to try undermining Apple with this meaningless corporate platitude"

"we're jealous of..."

wow, wow, someone's really quick at kissing Apple's ass and imagining things that never existed

 

[alexandr]

and facetime. time to really take over, apple)

 

[ericthered926]

I think this would be a win for consumers. I'm a Mac guy myself, but I have to use a PC for work and it really seems like Apple could do more to play fair. I know I might get some hate for saying that, but the lock-in sometimes makes it painful for some of us who are dedicated users but also still have to use other platforms.

 

[MallardDuck]

Just like apple would welcome windows arm on mac. I'm not holding my breath on either one.

 

[Bustycat]

I don’t rely on any IM software from Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.

 

[macbeth1026]

As a MacOS and Windows user I would welcome this wholeheartedly. Ugh. One can dream.

 

[farewelwilliams]

considering bringing imessage to windows would help microsoft increase marketshare, of course.

 

[MrTemple]

Messages hasn't been "iMessage" for how many years? Microsoft reppin' its young, hip tech cred again.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Would love to see this collaboration. Welcome change!!!

 

[JCCL]

Messages hasn't been "iMessage" for how many years? Microsoft reppin' its young, hip tech cred again.

Look at the iOS Settings, it is still called iMessage. There is an specific toggle you can enable and disable. Messages is just an app that has the capability to send and receive iMessage along with old, plan SMS.

 

[Beautyspin]

Apple should allow this and charge Windows users a 5 cents per message fee.

You must be kidding. Windows users have lived without iMessage for so long and they have so many alternatives, why would they even think about paying for sending messages on iMessage?

 

[m4mario]

That would actually benefit Apple more than Microsoft if they want to push iMessage utilization. Outside of the US no one uses it, and prefer to use Whatsapp or other platforms instead of having to guess what kind of phone or computer your recipient has.

What’s app and other platforms will try to monetize the messaging platforms with advertising, and probably will have to collect user data. As Apple has no intention as of now to do that, it won’t benefit Apple in any way. Apple’s way of monetizing is that they provide various services in the platform and hope users will choose their devices for the services(or the quality/execution of the services). For this reason, it will be detrimental for Apple’s business to bring iMessage to other platforms. And forcing Apple to do it, will mean that they will be forced to monetize it by collecting user data. Unfortunately, some policy makers who cry monopoly, don’t have the sense to see this. They are trying to force the one profitable company that does not want to collect user data, into becoming another privacy invader. They do this out of fear, that this company that hold’s a tiny market share in every market it’s in, will somehow become a monopoly.

 

[ThaGoochiestMane]

"One major theme of Windows 11 is its openness to third-party app marketplaces and Microsoft's end goal of making the platform a center of creativity outside the bounds of its own Microsoft App Store."

What a bizarre statement. Windows has always been open to third party app marketplaces. Look at Steam for one example.

This is just lazy corporate smack talking.

What this really translates to is "we're jealous of Apple's revenue on their App Store and our own attempt was a failure so we're going to try undermining Apple with this meaningless corporate platitude"

I think the author means the Microsoft Store's major theme (on Windows 11) is that it's now open to more third-party developers by supporting different app types and even completely removing their cut if the dev decides to not integrate the Microsoft payment system.

So it's not actually just smack talk, it's a huge change to the way Microsoft will offer software for Windows.

This seems like an attempt to create a centralized location for users to find their preferred (authentic) applications without the need to navigate to their specific website to download.

 

[KanosWRX]

Microsoft is saying they want to be open, but they clearly want their products from and center (not that I can blame them). Further tightening of integration of things like OneDrive/Office/Teams I am sure will be front and center as those are where they still make money from subscriptions. They know they can't compete with Apple/Google from an app store perspective so they reduce rates to 0 on their dead store and partner with Amazon for Android.. clearly showing they know Google is a threat and this is how they plan to compete with Chrome OS... Personally I think it will fail as no one wants to use the Amazon App store on a MS OS when you can get the real Play store on a Google OS.. just makes sense.

 

[JCCL]

What’s app and other platforms will try to monetize the messaging platforms with advertising, and probably will have to collect user data. As Apple has no intention as of now to do that, it won’t benefit Apple in any way. Apple’s way of monetizing is that they provide various services in the platform and hope users will choose their devices for the services(or the quality/execution of the services). For this reason, it will be detrimental for Apple’s business to bring iMessage to other platforms. And forcing Apple to do it, will mean that they will be forced to monetize it by collecting user data. Unfortunately, some policy makers who cry monopoly, don’t have the sense to see this. They are trying to force the one profitable company that does not want to collect user data, into becoming another privacy invader. They do this out of fear, that this company that hold’s a tiny market share in every market it’s in, will somehow become a monopoly.

I have yet to see a single ad in my WhatsApp experience. And sorry, I think you're wrong. Outside of the US, most people don't even know iMessage exists, and people think it is just plain old SMS, and those that do know it exists like myself refuse to use it as i don't know or care about what devices my recipients are using. Apple does have some functions that are device sellers. iMessage is not one of them.

 

[GMShadow]

I think the author means the Microsoft Store's major theme (on Windows 11) is that it's now open to more third-party developers by supporting different app types and even completely removing their cut if the dev decides to not integrate the Microsoft payment system.

So it's not actually just smack talk, it's a huge change to the way Microsoft will offer software for Windows.

This seems like an attempt to create a centralized location for users to find their preferred (authentic) applications without the need to navigate to their specific website to download.

And still, no one will use the Microsoft Store, so it's irrelevant. "We're willing to let you use your own payment processing and bypass our fees!" costs you nothing when your fees collected were already zero.

I have yet to see a single ad in my WhatsApp experience. And sorry, I think you're wrong. Outside of the US, most people don't even know iMessage exists, and people think it is just plain old SMS, and those that do know it exists like myself refuse to use it as i don't know or care about what devices my recipients are using. Apple does have some functions that are device sellers. iMessage is not one of them.

No one cares about third world countries. When the bulk of users rely on $25 Android phones, it's not worth trying to promote iMessage there.

 

[TheSapient]

My wish is that Apple would add RCS to its supported protocols, so that cross-platform communication would be improved. I don't want to have to use different apps for different circles of people. All of these messaging apps should support the global standards in addition to whatever special features they want to add for single-platform connections.

 

[JCCL]

No one cares about third world countries. When the bulk of users rely on $25 Android phones, it's not worth trying to promote iMessage there.

Yeah, Europe, China, Japan, India....sure huge markets no one cares about. But yeah, everything outside the US is a "third world country".

I would be embarrassed to display this type of ignorance in a public forum.

 

[bluespark]

I think this would be a win for consumers. I'm a Mac guy myself, but I have to use a PC for work and it really seems like Apple could do more to play fair. I know I might get some hate for saying that, but the lock-in sometimes makes it painful for some of us who are dedicated users but also still have to use other platforms.

I agree with this. Many of us who embrace Apple's approach where possible still have needs that involve other platforms. I've owned scads of iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, etc., but I also use Windows daily for work (and like it, BTW), various devices and services from Google, Amazon, streaming audio equipment from various brands, etc. I would feel better about buying Apple products if I knew they were as compatible as possible with the rest of the stuff I own, and I doubt I'm alone in that.

 

[macsimcon]

Putting Messages on Windows makes a lot of sense, assuming many Windows users prefer Android so they can get their texts on the phones and PCs. So long as Apple just puts Messages on Windows, and not on Android, this could drive iPhone sales. I say go for it.

 

[hot-gril]

"One major theme of Windows 11 is its openness to third-party app marketplaces and Microsoft's end goal of making the platform a center of creativity outside the bounds of its own Microsoft App Store."

What a bizarre statement. Windows has always been open to third party app marketplaces. Look at Steam for one example.

This is just lazy corporate smack talking.

What this really translates to is "we're jealous of Apple's revenue on their App Store and our own attempt was a failure so we're going to try undermining Apple with this meaningless corporate platitude"

Yeah, and the same applies to macOS. They're PC operating systems, so you can run whatever you want on them.

Part of me prefers brutal Ballmer over this pretend-nice CEO. But I get it, it's not 2003 anymore.

 

[kalafalas]

If I remember correctly - at iMessage and FaceTimes inception, apple intended it to be multi-platform. Then they got sued for something dumb, forcing them to spend money on a relay-server, instead of it being peer-to-peer like it’s original intention, and apple decided if the service was going to cost money, it will be gated to their hardware to drive sales.

 

[JosephAW]

Apple, just require the 99¢/mo iCloud plan for non iOS users.

 

[blazerunner]

That would actually benefit Apple more than Microsoft if they want to push iMessage utilization. Outside of the US no one uses it, and prefer to use Whatsapp or other platforms instead of having to guess what kind of phone or computer your recipient has.

Yup, Whatsapp is Universal. iMessage ignores half the worlds userbase. Perhaps it's time for iPhone users to just switch over and get with the times?

 

[macsplusmacs]

Perhaps it's time for iPhone users to just switch over and get with the times?

Yah, The END TIMES.....