I’m going to have to side with Apple here (and I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth). iMessage is a service that they provide, and they’re well within their rights to restrict access to paying customers. iPhone users pay for it when they buy their latest shiny object; users of other brand devices don’t.
If you really want iMessage that desperately, buy an iPhone. That’s not worth it to you? That’s fine, but you can’t have it both ways.
At this point at the latest it would be much easier (not to mention more reliable) to get your iPhone-owning friends or family to use another messenger that’s not restricted to one single manufacturer. There are several apps that offer more features and more privacy than iMessage and are officially supported (not relying on unofficial hacks) on every modern smartphone.
There are several apps that offer more features and more privacy than iMessage and are officially supported (not relying on unofficial hacks) on every modern smartphone.
I didn’t even know about Element X.
Personally I use Threema (one-time app fee) and Signal (effectively donationware).
There’s of course also WhatsApp, Telegram, SnapChat, (Facebook) Messenger, Instagram, … if the size of the user base is more important to you than privacy.
All of these encourage you to use them, as opposed to iMessage that will actively try to keep you away from it unless you buy the right kind of hardware. So why the hassle?
You are 100% correct. This has been my view as well from the start; I’ve been patiently following this saga to see if my viewpoint can be swayed at all by any arguments from the Beeper Mini folks or Android users in general, but it’s pretty clear cut.
Interoperability is simply not something you can demand while yelling “but what about all the competing device’s users! Why won’t you think of them!”
I’m going to have to side with Apple here (and I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth). iMessage is a service that they provide, and they’re well within their rights to restrict access to paying customers. iPhone users pay for it when they buy their latest shiny object; users of other brand devices don’t.
If you really want iMessage that desperately, buy an iPhone. That’s not worth it to you? That’s fine, but you can’t have it both ways.
At this point at the latest it would be much easier (not to mention more reliable) to get your iPhone-owning friends or family to use another messenger that’s not restricted to one single manufacturer. There are several apps that offer more features and more privacy than iMessage and are officially supported (not relying on unofficial hacks) on every modern smartphone.
Like Signal and Element X, right?
I didn’t even know about Element X.
Personally I use Threema (one-time app fee) and Signal (effectively donationware).
There’s of course also WhatsApp, Telegram, SnapChat, (Facebook) Messenger, Instagram, … if the size of the user base is more important to you than privacy.
All of these encourage you to use them, as opposed to iMessage that will actively try to keep you away from it unless you buy the right kind of hardware. So why the hassle?
You are 100% correct. This has been my view as well from the start; I’ve been patiently following this saga to see if my viewpoint can be swayed at all by any arguments from the Beeper Mini folks or Android users in general, but it’s pretty clear cut.
Interoperability is simply not something you can demand while yelling “but what about all the competing device’s users! Why won’t you think of them!”