Rumor: Apple to debut iMessage for Android at WWDC 2016

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 60
    why- said:
    genuinely curious, when was the last time apple made software for another platform? (and iTunes doesn't count)
    Apple Music. 

    Edit: And I see that's already been mentioned above. 

    PS:  iMessage on Android doesn't seem like a good idea to me. 
    edited June 2016
  • Reply 22 of 60
    zimmermannzimmermann Posts: 324member
    mike1 said:
    I'd be happy. When sending out group messages at work, there's always one greenie in the group that pushes everybody to a standard text message. Now our IT group can force them to install iMessage and use for work messages ensuring better security.
    How do you make a group in iMessage? Making a group has been the killer option in Whatsapp for me. Now that they added end to end encryption as a team of psychologists we dare use it to communicate amongst us. Some of this group use android, one even a company provided W10M phone. So no iMessage for us. Now that Whatsapp even works on the desktop it gets even more handy. So for me: add to work with groups and android, and I am almost back...
    ireland
  • Reply 23 of 60
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Not sure about this. 

    Aple Music on Android makes sense because it's paid for.  I don't see how they plan to make money porting Messages to Android, especially if there are already free cross-platform messaging services out there. 

    edited June 2016
  • Reply 24 of 60
    zimmermannzimmermann Posts: 324member
    I see a lot of students, when traveling or doing an internship abroad, put their local sim subscription on hold. In the other country they get a prepaid  sim with just data. No phone or texting possible. And then they call and text through Whatsapp. If they buy a new prepaid card with a new number no one bothers to look at the new number, texting and calling just continues. I don't see this possibility happening to iMessage anytime soon. 
  • Reply 25 of 60
    DennyADennyA Posts: 2member
    I'd love to see it. But what I really want is to see it on Windows. So annoying to thumb-type at work when there's a nice PC keyboard right in front of me. :)
    williamlondon
  • Reply 26 of 60
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    I really want Androids to install iMessage so they can message me when I am on Wifi without cell reception. I live in the mountains and there's NO cell reception at all. I can text anyone who have iMessage but not Androids so I had to install WhatsApp for that.
    williamlondonireland
  • Reply 27 of 60
    zimmermannzimmermann Posts: 324member
    Found out that you can make a Group in iMessage. Great!
    irelandai46
  • Reply 28 of 60
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    iMessage on other garbage wouldn’t sell Apple hardware, just like Apple Music (or whatever it is... beats? Doesn’t Apple make something for Android still?) doesn’t. It’s a terrible idea.
    Messages on Android, I feel, is interesting for both iOS users and Android users. Chances are that many Android users have friends on iOS, and the other way around. I agree it's probably not designed to sell iPhones, but rather to make communication between the two systems more consistent. If it's gonna go all out with the included map/ find my friend/ broadcast my position stuff as well remains to be seen ;-)

    I don't know much about Android security, but since it's supposedly so open, perhaps developers has the right to patch the existing built in messanging solution? Then it could be made to handle iMessages as well? Bad idea probably.. too many versions to patch..
    williamlondon
  • Reply 29 of 60
    frantisekfrantisek Posts: 756member
    There was opinion on Facebook that Apple will announce ApplePay p2p based on iMessage so it would make sense altogether.
  • Reply 30 of 60
    I like the idea of being iMessage available for android because of the fact that some people do like android (for some reason that i do not understand:). At the moment the most commonly used messaging service (as far as I know) is whatsapp. I use whatsapp too because not all my contacts are using iMessage. Personally, I prefer not to  use facebook owned service especially because of privacy concerns. I believe that once iMessage becomes available for android, I will be using iMessage more than I use whatsapp. And I hope that number of iMessage users suppress any other untrusted messaging services 
    williamlondonireland
  • Reply 31 of 60
    williamlondonwilliamlondon Posts: 1,324member
    I don't understand why people don't get that this would be a good thing for Apple customers, seriously. Firstly, Steve Jobs promised when iMessage was launched it'd be cross-platform, then it wasn't delivered without explanation but what I've read is that it has to do with patents held by some other entity that would make it too expensive for Apple (or impossible).

    The reality is that if you have Apple products, being able to message more people from your Apple devices makes those devices more valuable, this is a good thing. If people are suddenly able to join iMessage and become part of that community they may not buy Apple products if they don't have to, that is true, but for us with devices and for those who buy them in the future, being able to communicate with more people using iMessage is only a good thing. This is obvious, they should be doing things like this to make our devices more valuable, it was their original intention, if they do this they are merely following through on their promise when it was launched.
  • Reply 32 of 60
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    mazda 3s said:
    I've been an iMessage user since it first came out. At first it was beneficial because carriers were still charging you for texts.  Now everyone has smartphones and all the carriers have unlimited texting. 

    Maybe im just clueless, but what exactly is advantage of iMessage these days over text messaging or WhatsApp or wherever else is out there?
    Security. That's the answer. I don't trust any other message service to transfer my sensitive attachments. 
    iMessage to all platforms is the dream come true for enterprises!
    edited June 2016 realjustinlongwilliamlondonirelandmdriftmeyer
  • Reply 33 of 60
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    I see a lot of students, when traveling or doing an internship abroad, put their local sim subscription on hold. In the other country they get a prepaid  sim with just data. No phone or texting possible. And then they call and text through Whatsapp. If they buy a new prepaid card with a new number no one bothers to look at the new number, texting and calling just continues. I don't see this possibility happening to iMessage anytime soon. 
    The actual iMessage app doesn't have to be and shouldn't be ported over. They can just have it integrate with other apps. When people send email to each other, Apple doesn't have to write the Mail app for Android. When people call each other, Apple doesn't have to write the phone app for Android. Let people keep using the crappy UIs on Android but allow them to send messages from WhatsApp and not have iOS users suffer that horrible UI by also having to use WhatsApp.

    Apple would have an API where there's a contact format with a one-time authorization key. People would send this to WhatsApp (or other) users and they'd add it. Then they can send messages to this contact. Replies from iOS will also have a format and 3rd party apps will retrieve the message using the authorization key. If the iOS user invalidates the key, the other messenger can no longer send/retrieve messages.

    This can work for FaceTime for audio calls and video too. When a WhatsApp user initiates a call to this iOS contact, it can start a FaceTime audio/video call.
  • Reply 34 of 60
    If this is true that just tells me Apple hardware sales will continue to be soft and they're going to bring changes to iMessage that they can monetize and push to Android as well. I think it's pretty obvious that ads in the App Store are about generating more "services" revenue than anything else.
    but surely, that's the goal? there will come a point when everyone that wants or can buy an iPhone will have one (some argue, that has happened already) so you must rely on other areas to grow/maintain the cash flow.
  • Reply 35 of 60
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Imagine iMessage and FaceTime are available in Android and seamlessly work just like in iOS, who want other services anymore? Welcome to the best message service in the world, Fandroids.
    williamlondonai46
  • Reply 36 of 60
    lukeilukei Posts: 379member
    netrox said:
    I really want Androids to install iMessage so they can message me when I am on Wifi without cell reception. I live in the mountains and there's NO cell reception at all. I can text anyone who have iMessage but not Androids so I had to install WhatsApp for that.
    The US continues to be so far behind the rest of the world.  In the UK I can call/receive/text with my cell linked to any wifi network
  • Reply 37 of 60
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    jungmark said:
    Doubtful. iMessage is a feature for iOS. What does it give Apple if it's on Android? Nothing. 
    1. Send money to anyone.

    2. Gives iPhone owners a better iMessage experience out of the box: in theory message anyone with iMessage and all its goodies. Improves the iPhone, iPad and Mac messaging experience and thus improves the device experience.

    3. Makes iPhone more enticing to Android users who turn to iMessage for their communication needs. Leap and you take your conversations with you.

    4. Gives people exclusive to Apple's ecosystems the ability to delete third party messaging apps.

    It's a win win win win. I I've been giving feedback to Apple and emailing its execs for a long time now with similar feedback.
    edited June 2016
  • Reply 38 of 60
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    As we know Android is a inferior platform but on top, their stock( and Gooogle,3rd party) Message apps are pathetic. This can be good news to android users for having better message app and also for iphone users who have to deal with text communicating to android users. One good solution for both kind of users.Moreover, when Android user moves to iphone, he/she knows familiar imessage app.
    edited June 2016 ireland
  • Reply 39 of 60
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    larrya said:
    Interesting push/pull approach.  Push me away from iPhone by removing the headphone jack and reserving camera improvements to the 7+.  Pull me to Android by provided iMessage there.  Seems like a terrible idea for business.
    You live on Apple Insider, you're not switching anywhere.
    TurboPGT
  • Reply 40 of 60
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    Couple comments and observations.

    iMessage has been integrated into Messages, which is available on iOS and OSX. Since the author is saying most of the iMessage system is server-based, would Apple think about releasing a somewhat restricted Android app not only for mobile users but a full blown app for other linux-based systems, e.g., Chromebooks?

    Messages on OSX coordinates the use of FaceTime for video and audio conferencing, connecting through an iPhone when needed, as well as the capability of sharing desktop screens. How many of these capabilities might also be ported to Android? If Apple ported all these capabilities, it would mean Skype wouldn't be necessary. I'd like some form of desktop sharing in iOS FaceTime that matches the capability in OSX. There's been many times I've shared screens with my daughters to go over websites and to troubleshoot their Macs. Being able to do this when I'm on the road from an iPhone or iPad would be beneficial. I also share screens with my in-laws from my Mac using TeamViewer to get to his Windows PC. It works very well and requires authentication and keeps me from having to teach him how to use a Mac (it's difficult when you're almost 90 to change too many things--I gave up trying a decade ago).

    iMessages/Messages allows the easy transfer of not only text but just about everything else. I don't know what the data size limit is but photos, music, pdfs, (other files?) can all be attached to an OSX Message and securely sent to the recipient. The only restriction Messages has on iOS is the ability to select the files to send. If Apple were to port iMessages to Android, would it be restricted to text only? Would it be open to sending photos? 

    My biggest concern is with the "other" category. Would Android users be able to send malware, either intentionally or by existing malware on their mobile devices? What keeps OSX users from sending malware to other OSX/iOS users? Are application/executable files stripped from Messages already? I've never tried sending one. 

    I'm going to step out on a limb and say IF Apple is thinking about porting their Messages capability, either in part or in total, there has to be an ulterior motive much larger than just trying to use it as a Trojan horse to get people interested in iPhones. Could Apple be seriously considering producing a cheap Android phone that would directly compete with Android-based phones in markets like India and China where the competition is strongest for a low cost device? I know this is heresy and not something Apple would ever do but could it take sales away from other Android phones in these areas if it came with a series of Apple apps that were free (only apps Android users "buy") that were compatible with Apple's flagship iPhones? As other have said, it would be nice to never see green texts again, especially since these are sent in the clear.
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