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shenfrey

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 23, 2010
2,424
657
It is trying to keep up - and best - its rivals such as Facebook messenger and whatsapp, but its all in vain and won't stand a chance unless it opens its self up to Android users, or am I completely missing the point?
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,400
19,630
UK
It is trying to keep up - and best - its rivals such as Facebook messenger and whatsapp, but its all in vane and won't stand a chance unless it opens its self up to Android users, or am I completely missing the point?
but surely doing this will lose apple customers to android. For alot imessage and facetime is what keeps some people with apple
 
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Tubamajuba

macrumors 68020
Jun 8, 2011
2,186
2,444
here
I wouldn't know, I only use it for 2 people. The rest is what's app and messenger.
For me, it's the opposite. Almost everyone I know uses iMessage, I use Facebook Messenger as a secondary method of communication with one or two people, and I've never used Whatsapp nor do I know anybody who does.

Quite honestly, I don't think having different messaging apps is a huge problem anyways. The important thing is that you have convenient ways to communicate with the people in your lives, regardless of which app you use to do so.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,312
24,047
Gotta be in it to win it
It is trying to keep up - and best - its rivals such as Facebook messenger and whatsapp, but its all in vain and won't stand a chance unless it opens its self up to Android users, or am I completely missing the point?
It's not trying to keep up, it doesn't need to keep up. It's apples secure messaging platform and is one hundreds of millions of devices. Apple enhancing it for iOS 10 shows it's not going anywhere.
 

Julien

macrumors G4
Jun 30, 2007
11,835
5,432
Atlanta
Keep in mind that Apple didn't say Messages wasn't coming to Android. Since iOS 10 is in beta until fall it is possible it is way too early to announce an Android version. It could be announced in the fall, or not.
 

0000757

macrumors 68040
Dec 16, 2011
3,894
850
Just because something is exclusive to a platform doesn't mean it can't compete.

The Apple Watch is iOS only, it's a competitor. For a good while, the iPod was Mac only, and it was a competitor.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,332
31,463
Keep in mind that Apple didn't say Messages wasn't coming to Android. Since iOS 10 is in beta until fall it is possible it is way too early to announce an Android version. It could be announced in the fall, or not.
The only way Apple will bring it to Android is if they can make money off of it. And that still probably wouldn't offset the lost revenue from people leaving iPhone. I'll bet there's a sizeable enough population that would go Android if iMessage was on it.
 
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Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
15,694
10,994
For me, umm, good if they do. Nothing lose if they don't.
I now use Tapatalk to reply. Safari in macrumours is super buggy in beta 1
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,428
4,416
I'm not sure that locking it to Apple devices only will keep people on Apple devices - a loss in sales would be negligible.

I would love to have it so I could ditch Google Hangouts at work, since I use that on my Work PC to talk to friends, to avoid being on my phone constantly. I also have a friend in our group that just moved to Android, and that screwed up our all-iMessage group chat.

So even though I don't see myself ditching Apple products, it would enhance my life as a user if it were made available through web browsers and Android.
 

ianrip

macrumors 6502
I love my ios devices, however messaging is the single most used app in all smartphones globally, Google are about to launch Allo, which will give the current messaging kings a run for their money, as for me I use imessage, FB Messenger, and what's app, maybe google are too late as most of us are already using some sort of app, and the problem is moving our friends over to any new app takes a long time and a good sales pitch. the new imessage looks okay but its restricted to ios only, if I were to recommend 1 app right now, I'd say the FB messenger is the best as of 15.06.16
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,312
24,047
Gotta be in it to win it
I love my ios devices, however messaging is the single most used app in all smartphones globally, Google are about to launch Allo, which will give the current messaging kings a run for their money, as for me I use imessage, FB Messenger, and what's app, maybe google are too late as most of us are already using some sort of app, and the problem is moving our friends over to any new app takes a long time and a good sales pitch. the new imessage looks okay but its restricted to ios only, if I were to recommend 1 app right now, I'd say the FB messenger is the best as of 15.06.16
iMessage is about the best there is; functionally rich, secure, single platform and easy to use. As I'm not on Facebook and nobody I know uses hangouts, sms is used most after iMessage bit it's as utilitarian as one can get.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,332
31,463
There is no reason for Apple to make this cross-platform right away (if ever). The business models of Google and Facebook require them to have as many eyeballs as possible so of course they're going to be on every platform.

I hope this means Apple is really going to up their game with all their 1st party apps. Stop being OK with everyone using Google, Facebook and Microsoft apps because of mediocre 1st party apps.
 

179202

Cancelled
Apr 14, 2008
939
217
Improving the experience of Android isn't Apple's problem. If you want it that bad, get an iPhone. They're under zero obligation to create it for Android.
 

rogerbarton

macrumors member
Jun 14, 2016
31
29
iMessage is one of Apple's integration techniques - like Handoff, now Apple Pay and unlocking your Mac with Apple Watch.

It's a great way to keep people locked into the Apple ecosystem, even lure people over (if they have one device but none other). But it is not, and never was, designed to lock out the social messaging space.
 
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