Apple has seemingly found a way to block Android’s new iMessage app

Lee Duna@lemmy.nz to Technology@lemmy.world – 614 points –
Apple has seemingly found a way to block Android’s new iMessage app
theverge.com
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Right, I don't understand why these weird hacky services are making headlines. If you want to have a blue bubble, just buy an iPhone. They're not actually THAT expensive, you can usually buy last year's model for under $500 if you wait for a deal and you're willing to commit to a carrier. Or if you really can't afford that, you can get an older iPhone basically for free. Even a 3 year old model gets you a blue bubble.

Or, if you're not an insecure child that gives in to peer pressure, get whatever phone you want.

If you want to have a blue bubble, just buy an iPhone.

Expense aside they're simply worse products. Can't choose what software to put on it. Can't repair it. Can't change your dialer or your SMS app. I mean the list goes on.

This.

I had an iPhone for a decade with my work. Quit both of them and got an android. I'm way happier being able to do things more than one way and to be able to customize everything.

Phones in general suck, but if the shitty, android at least let's you do what you want.

lol ok.

The vast majority of androids are worse for repairability. The ones that get more than a year or two of support don’t have any parts available. The ones that do get support have far worse physical restrictions like straight up gluing parts in.

The rest you mention, >99% of people don’t do anyway.

Are you talking about iPhone? Because repairing an iPhone requires specialist tools and specialist software. Oh, and it's all glued together. 100% of people are unable to repair their own iPhone with replacement parts because parts are serialized and require proprietary software to unlock.

If you want to support these anti-consumer practices, that's up to you, but there's really no need to spread misinformation.

lol the only specialist tool you need is the pentalobe screwdriver and a suction cup. None of the rest is needed, it just makes it easy.

And unlocking the hardware for use just requires calling Apple support and saying “hey I’ve replaced this part and need it unlocked, here’s the serial”.

Nothing in an iPhone is solidly glued in. The battery has a couple of pull tabs to make it easy to remove. Something like a Samsung it’s damn near impossible to remove because the entire battery is glued down.

But if you care, you can get a repairable phone like the Fairphone.

The vast majority of androids are worse for repairability

Yes but I can choose to purchase an Android that has good repairability. Apple, once again, doesn't give you that choice.

The ones that do get support have far worse physical restrictions like straight up gluing parts in

Gluing components in is standard practice across the industry.

What's absolutely not standard is intentionally serializing the parts and then refusing to make the software available so that their consumers cannot repair the hardware they "own".

Or negotiating contracts with component suppliers to ensure they don't sell components to third party repair companies.

Or sending ICE to raid companies who manage to get them regardless.

It's an incredibly disrespectful and user-hostile company.

It's not just the blue bubble though. It's being able to send and receive full quality pictures and videos to iPhone users without having to get them to install a 3rd party app. All the old people in my family have iPhone. They won't learn Signal. Beeper bridged that gap.

Sounds like an iOS problem for iOS users to deal with. If I have a family member with Android, we just agree on a chat service to use and iMessage isn’t even a part of that conversation. Older members who need help can get their stuff set up during a family visit, until which a few green bubbles won’t hurt anyone.

Here’s how this goes for most people in the US:

If I have a family member with Android, we just agree on a chat service to use and iMessage isn’t they’re not even a part of that conversation.

Then use ANY other messaging service. Preferably Signal, but if that doesn't work..... Facebook, Whatsapp, literally anything.

Then use ANY other messaging service. Preferably Signal,

🤩

but if that doesn't work..... Facebook, Whatsapp, literally anything.

So Facebook, or Facebook? That might work for most people, but when there's an open protocol right there, I'd rather steer clear of their products and services

Edit: add quotes

Even a 3 year old model gets you a blue bubble.

Damn, we calling 3 years old now? My iPhone 6 must be from the Paleolithic era then.

Lol I said it's 3 years old, not "old". That's the not-so-secret secret of today's phones: a 2 or 3 year old phone works just fine.

So how is someone who makes a conscious choice giving into peer pressure and insecure

No other introspective reasons why someone could select a phone othe than an iPhone.

They said if you're buying solely based bubble color then it's based on peer pressure, there of course are other valid reasons for someone to choose one and there are also other bad reasons.

I didn't say that people only buy iPhones because of peer pressure. I said that buying an iPhone due to peer pressure is silly.

The point is open communication standard and tech illiterates like yourself keep repeating this Apple propaganda. Maybe read a wiki page or something idk

They're adopting RCS next year. That's the open standard.

Having iMessage on Android is dumb.

in other news 2.2 came 3 years ago

I have a 5 year old iphone, it’s great. I can’t imagine it’s worth anything, just noting it works for every day use. You don’t need a new phone at all for anything.

ETA: I just NFC-charged my local transit card with my ancient-ass iphone the other day which is a thing I didn’t honestly know it could do yesterday. I’m not trolling, I don’t know what has been offered in the last 5 years on either platform that is at all required to use a phone, as long as Apple continues to support the phone with OS updates.

My thoughts exactly. It’s fucking childish to make such a fuss over the color of a text bubble. These kids need to grow up.