gatorguy

chasm said:

Anilu_777 said:

I still wonder why Google even cares about this and then why it’s pushing so hard. I don’t trust Google. 

Oh, let me clarify that for you. Google wants to a) collect data from messages, and b) push rich advertising into messages, which of course they would benefit from.

I didn’t make this up — it’s been referred to in previous articles talking about Google’s version of RCS. Apple would never allow crap like that, so Google was never going to get Apple to adopt their version of RCS.

I am actually starting to feel bad for Android users, because if Google gets its way their experience in messaging is about to get a lot crappier.

Google cannot collect user data from Google Messages RCS. End of story. So yeah, you made that part up.

Can RCS be used for delivering rich media which could include advertising? Yup, but that's not a Google exclusive.

AppleInsider said:

Following years of pressure from Google for Apple to adopt the presently flawed RCS system within iMessage, Apple has committed to doing so during 2024.

Android does not have a true equivalent alternative to Apple's iMessage...

Ummm, yes they do. The equally secure and private Google Messages. Unfortunately, the initial implementation of RCS on the iPhone will not be end-to-end encrypted. Still showing a bit of stubbornness I suppose.

Keeping the blue bubble/green bubble distinction would be an advantage for Android users using the E2EE Google Messages (Apple users too if they understand what it means) since it will designate the conversation as potentially insecure. But I've been seeing claims the bubbles are going away. I don't know how true that is, as I thought blue and green indicated the level of encryption. 

So after all this hand-wringing from iMessage/Apple Messages users and claims that Apple will never use RCS until the law tells them to, Apple decides to incorporate it anyway, and for better security and continuity. You don't say? 

"Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association. We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users."

It remains unclear whether it will be cross-platform E2EE or simply the RCS standard as defined by GSM.

EDIT: No it will not be end-to-end encrypted as it is with Google Messages, and will also be up to the carriers to activate it. Well, it's more than halfway there. At least no more SMS unless all else fails. 

AppleInsider said:

India's tax authorities are investigating Apple, Google, and Amazon, over accounting practices, and is considering a $600 million demand for each.

In a similar move to how the US IRS presented Microsoft with a $28.9 billion tax bill in October 2023, India's Income Tax Department is specifically investigating transfer pricing. This relates to the entirely legal system of assigning or moving profits from a parent company to a subsidiary.

That's an overstatement. To be "entirely legal," transfer pricing has to be done in the manner of a hands-off transaction, the price determined at-arms-length appropriate to the value of the transfer, and not, in essence, an arbitrary number intended to avoid taxation. That latter point is what can make transfer pricing illegal.

Worth mentioning is an appeal by Apple won't have any effect on the compliance date. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to meet the requirements by March 2024.