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Does anyone think Microsoft still has further hardware ambitions? What would it take for them to get back into the mobile space?

If they’re touting a more open platform, wouldn’t this mean less friction for developers, or even a lateral move? Could this be what the move is all about?
I’ve been hoping for this for years. Maybe it’s an unpopular opinion, but I think that Windows Phone was great!
 
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.
Denmark here, I don’t know anyone using WhatsApp - FB Messenger, Instagram and Snapchat though..! 😅 But SMS/iMessage is generally preferred among adult population since it automatically senses compatibility and switches technology accordingly - as opposed to all the other platforms requiring both parties to install 3rd party applications.
 
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Apple doesn’t want to push iMessage utilization, they want to push the purchase of Apple hardware.

iMessage doesn’t make Apple any money… so why would they want to bring a feature to other platforms that would make it easier for potential customers to not buy Apple hardware and stick with their Windows PC’s or Android phones which now have iMessage?

Not saying that I personally want Apple to keep iMessage walled off from other platforms, it would have been great for me when I was going through my Android phase, but bringing it to other platforms makes no logical business sense.
Or, no one cares about iMessage in the future because RCS has taken over. Fragmentation is the only thing that keeps iMessage being relevant. Once RCS becomes the norm, it’s the apple users being left out.

imagine a world where Android to Android communication is great, iPhone to iPhone communication is great, but cross platform communication is crappy SMS. EVERYONE will be blaming Apple because at the end of the day they had the chance to adapt RCS but didn’t. They can avoid that by just porting iMessage over
 
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How does Apple being the standard chat app help them? They are a hardware company. They also make money through paid services, but since no one will subscribe to a messaging app when all the others are free, this isn’t viable either. The only way to monetize a cross-platform iMessage is through ads and/or data collection, which Apple doesn’t want to do. So how would they make money off of it? They wouldn’t. They might actually lose money because:
1. They would have to build out servers to support billions more devices, for free.
2. They would lose hardware sales to people who are locked in to Apple because of iMessage.

The mistake Apple’s competitors make over and over again is prioritizing market share over the part of the market that’s actually profitable. Apple is focused. It would (wisely IMO) rather sell expensive iPhones than be a loss leader with the dominant platform.

Also, can you imagine the antitrust investigations Apple would be facing if they owned the dominant chat app, yet bundled it with their OS? Right now Apple can answer the monopoly accusations by rightfully pointing out that they have minority market share.
Well said. The pervading thought in many tech companies today is to scale at any cost, even if it may not be sustainable. Apple moves more slowly and organically. And everyone knows that organic apples are healthier.
 
Or, no one cares about iMessage in the future because RCS has taken over. Fragmentation is the only thing that keeps iMessage being relevant. Once RCS becomes the norm, it’s the apple users being left out.

imagine a world where Android to Android communication is great, iPhone to iPhone communication is great, but cross platform communication is crappy SMS. EVERYONE will be blaming Apple because at the end of the day they had the chance to adapt RCS but didn’t. They can avoid that by just porting iMessage over
I thought RCS was supposed to take off years ago? Here we are halfway through 2021 with no grounds made. I mean don't hock a tech that was DOA once carriers started adding their protocols. All that has done is fragment RCS. Outside of the Pixel lineup, what Android device is enabled by default for RCS and can communicate cross carrier?
 
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 gives you the impression that no one outside the US uses iMessage? Most of my family and friends use it here in the UK. The only time I really use Whatsapp is for work
 
Or, no one cares about iMessage in the future because RCS has taken over.
Maybe or maybe not.
Fragmentation is the only thing that keeps iMessage being relevant. Once RCS becomes the norm, it’s the apple users being left out.
I'll take my chances. If and when there becomes a tech that is better than imessage and more private than imessage I may consider it.
imagine a world where Android to Android communication is great, iPhone to iPhone communication is great, but cross platform communication is crappy SMS. EVERYONE will be blaming Apple because at the end of the day they had the chance to adapt RCS but didn’t. They can avoid that by just porting iMessage over
While it would be nice to port imessage to android. I cannot see Apple doing it. Apple does not feel benevolent enough to develop it's ecosystem, outside of it's ecosystem. Of course I could be wrong in the future.
 
I bet they would...

I mean just about everything which is restricted to Apple eventually crosses the barrier.. Apple music came to Android,, iCloud to Windows..and probably this..

Reckon Windows people are getting itchy feet? Perhaps that why upcoming MS windows 11 looks 'Mac-like..'


All the pieces fit.
 
Or, no one cares about iMessage in the future because RCS has taken over. Fragmentation is the only thing that keeps iMessage being relevant. Once RCS becomes the norm, it’s the apple users being left out.

imagine a world where Android to Android communication is great, iPhone to iPhone communication is great, but cross platform communication is crappy SMS. EVERYONE will be blaming Apple because at the end of the day they had the chance to adapt RCS but didn’t. They can avoid that by just porting iMessage over

Just like how android was supposed to snuff iOS out via sheer market share alone, and all the iOS developers would abandon ship for the google play store?

People in the US will continue to use iMessage (assuming the iphone continues to command the market share that it does), and outside of the US, the people who aren’t bothered by iMessage are the people who are not going to bother with RCS as well. They are all on WhatsApp, Line, Wechat, Telegram or whatever other cross-platform chat app their social circle uses.
 
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.

Why do you need to guess? If the message is blue, someone has Mac, iPad, or iPhone. If the messages are green, someone has another advice. C'mon dude, really? And who cares what device someone else has.
 
Is that what they think? That people will want to use a windows machine because it has iMessage? They think iMessage is the only think keeping people from making the switch
I've seen cars that are bare to the down and even have roll down windows but they make sure to include CarPlay because they think someone on a budget/young people would choose it since it connects to the apple system.

While CarPlay does more than iMessage it's the same idea; after all iMessage was a big reason many people chose the iPhone back in the day especially blackberry users who wanted the BBM experience
 
The ability to send and receive messages from my iPhone on my computer is, at this point, literally the only thing that would make me consider buying another Mac (except the MacPro).
Inability to replace storage and memory kills it for me. I went along with the soldered ram in my 2014 rMBP, but storage is an absolute deal breaker. It's the most common point of failure and the notion that it cannot be user replaced is absurd.

So I genuinely do hope Messages comes to Windows at some point in the future (or Apple allows OSX to be installed on 3rd party hardware).

Yes, I know, neither are likely to ever happen.
 
The ability to send and receive messages from my iPhone on my computer is, at this point, literally the only thing that would make me consider buying another Mac (except the MacPro).
Inability to replace storage and memory kills it for me. I went along with the soldered ram in my 2014 rMBP, but storage is an absolute deal breaker. It's the most common point of failure and the notion that it cannot be user replaced is absurd.

So I genuinely do hope Messages comes to Windows at some point in the future (or Apple allows OSX to be installed on 3rd party hardware).

Yes, I know, neither are likely to ever happen.

You're gonna have to share a citation for the claim that SSDs on Macs are a ‘common point of failure’, let alone the ‘most common’.

Also, I’ll bet you the depreciated value of a PC that was competitive with a 2018 MBP that the new MPB announced in week or two will once again have replaceable SSD.
 
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You're gonna have to share a citation for the claim that SSDs on Macs are a ‘common point of failure’, let alone the ‘most common’.

Also, I’ll bet you the depreciated value of a PC that was competitive with a 2018 MBP that the new MPB announced in week or two will once again have replaceable SSD.
I've been working on, building, and fixing PC's my entire life. The item that I have seen fail the most is the storage (hdd or SSD). A simple google search for "most common computer component to fail" with yield result after result that turns back HDD or SSD. And the notion that Apple would be impervious is not founded in reality. They source SSD's and Memory from the same manufacturers as PC builders (Samsung, Micron, Kingston, etc...).

Yes, SSD's are better, but as I type this, it's on a 2016 rMBP with a SSD that failed less than two years into its life and has been running on an external SSD since. Why? Because you can't replace the SSD unless you replace the entire logic board (and there is absolutely NO good reason other than Apple wanting to suck more $$ out of you via costly repairs). Even aside from a repair scenario, there is zero reason an SSD should not be upgradeable. No different than a MicroSD slot on a phone.

As for the new MacBooks having replaceable SSD's again, I hope you're right. I really do. I hope Apple goes back to user replaceable SSD's AND Memory. That would be good for consumers and good for e-waste. But based on the SOC for the M1, I wont hold my breath....
 
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I've been working on, building, and fixing PC's my entire life. The item that I have seen fail the most is the storage (hdd or SSD). A simple google search for "most common computer component to fail" with yield result after result that turns back HDD or SSD. And the notion that Apple would be impervious is not founded in reality. They source SSD's and Memory from the same manufacturers as PC builders (Samsung, Micron, Kingston, etc...).

Yes, SSD's are better, but as I type this, it's on a 2016 rMBP with a SSD that failed less than two years into its life and has been running on an external SSD since. Why? Because you can't replace the SSD unless you replace the entire logic board (and there is absolutely NO good reason other than Apple wanting to suck more $$ out of you via costly repairs). Even aside from a repair scenario, there is zero reason an SSD should not be upgradeable. No different than a MicroSD slot on a phone.

As for the new MacBooks having replaceable SSD's again, I hope you're right. I really do. I hope Apple goes back to user replaceable SSD's AND Memory. That would be good for consumers and good for e-waste. But based on the SOC for the M1, I wont hold my breath....

So your citation is… a personal anecdote? 🧐
 
So your citation is… a personal anecdote? 🧐
20+ years of experience with repairing and building thousands of computers, personal anecdote, whatever dude. You're fixating on one detail and missing the broader point, so sure.

Hardware Failure Survey Findings - StorageCraft
SSD's, like HDD's are time bombs. HDD's are spinning time bombs, SSD's are stationary time bombs. They both have a limited number of read/write cycles. The point that you seem to be missing: They should be user upgradeable/replaceable. No reason not to. If Microsoft can do it on a Surface Pro, Apple can do it on a MacBook.
Nah, batteries are the more common failure point.
When looking at laptops specifically (or other portable devices), I would concede that batteries have a higher failure rate that storage devices, I was more referring to computers as a whole (Laptops, Desktops, tablets, etc.)
Again, another component that should be replaceable by the owner. No reason for it to be a pain in the ass to replace or have some firmware lock (like the new iPhone).
 
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The ability to send and receive messages from my iPhone on my computer is, at this point, literally the only thing that would make me consider buying another Mac (except the MacPro).
Inability to replace storage and memory kills it for me. I went along with the soldered ram in my 2014 rMBP, but storage is an absolute deal breaker. It's the most common point of failure and the notion that it cannot be user replaced is absurd.

So I genuinely do hope Messages comes to Windows at some point in the future (or Apple allows OSX to be installed on 3rd party hardware).

Yes, I know, neither are likely to ever happen..
hmmm. I also have a 2014 - MBP 15. I have never had a problem with storage or memory. You know these are pretty long lasting, right? While I would have a slight preference for upgradable memory and storage, I have to ask myself when the last time I did any of that was. Well, when I owned a crappy Dell (I know redundant, right?) and that was along time ago. Statistically, only a small group of people actually do upgrade, an even smaller percentage have trouble with memory or storage. so A slight preference vs. not Windows, I'll take a Mac any day.

BTW, just got a 2020 MBP 13 with the M1. I sprung for 512 on the storage because that seems to be a great number for me, everything else goes to offline. I went with the 8GB ram after reading reviews about how it doesn't not impact performance, unless you really stress it, and watching the 16 GB on my old intel MBP almost never get used, it seemed a no-brainer. literally, it is the best computer I have ever used. Quiet, fast, no heat (heat is the biggest killer of storage, ram and CPUs, so the M! probably is even more reliable than the hot hot hot Intels), looks great, good solid feel. Runs everything I use. I should mention the speakers, it is so good for a tiny footprint laptop, you would think I had externals (OK, bass is a little suppressed, but everyone would guess that)
 
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