It seems that WWDC 2021 will be packed with surprises, where we expect to get several new features in iMessage and more
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Of course Apple could’ve made iMessage for Android but it didn’t
The legal battle between Apple and Epic Games is still going on. While the court of public opinion has already pressed Apple and Google to reduce marketplace fees for developers, new information from court filings suggests that Apple had thoughts about making iMessage available for Android but it didn’t, which is obvious since Apple likes maintaining a number of proprietary products and services to keep its users on its ecosystem.
As Android Police reports, Epic Games has filed a brief containing excerpts that demonstrate Apple’s executive team making an intentional decision to limit iMessage to Apple’s own platforms. Obviously, there is no technical limitation preventing Apple from developing iMessage for Android. It was more of a business decision than a technical one.
58. Apple has recognized the power that iMessage has to attract and keep users within its ecosystem.
a. As early as 2013, Apple decided not to develop a version of iMessage for the Android OS. (Cue Dep. 92:22-93:1.)
b. Mr. Cue testified that Apple “could have made a version on Android that worked with iOS” such that there would “have been cross-compatibility with the iOS platform so that users of both platforms would have been able to exchange messages with one another seamlessly”. (Cue Dep. 92:5-9; 92:11-16.)
c. However, Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering and the executive in charge of iOS, feared that “iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones”. (PX407, at ‘122.)
d. Phil Schiller, an Apple executive in charge of the App Store, agreed that Apple should not offer iMessage on Android devices. (Cue Dep. 92:18-93:1.)
e. In 2016, when a former Apple employee commented that “the #1 most difficult [reason] to leave the Apple universe app is iMessage . . . iMessage amounts to serious lock-in” to the Apple ecosystem, Mr. Schiller commented that “moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us, this email illustrates why”. (PX416, at ‘610; Cue Dep. 114:14-115:2.)
As you can read from the statements, Eddy Cue, SVP of Internet Software and Services acknowledges that Apple had an idea of developing iMessage for Android back in 2013. However, Craig Federighi (SVP of Software Engineering) and Phil Schiller (SVP of Worldwide Marketing) expressed concerns. They said that it would hurt Apple if they make their service available for Android since it would remove the obstacle for people between platforms. Plus, Message is the biggest factor in keeping people in Apple’s ecosystem.
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Apple sued over iMessage, FaceTime encryption patent infringement
Finnish company MPH Technologies got Apple sued over patent infringement. iMessage and FaceTime are infringing its patents.
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How bad can spam get on iMessage? Extremely bad
Chinese carriers filter out text messages for sensitivie subjects as well as spam. Apple is not really into censoring. Enter the spam.
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Apple’s giving a new camera (and some tongue) to Messages and Memoji
Animoji can now capture you sticking out your tongue. You can also FaceTime with up to 31 of your closest friends in just a single call.
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Apple’s giving a new camera (and some tongue) to Messages and Memoji
Animoji can now capture you sticking out your tongue. You can also FaceTime with up to 31 of your closest friends in just a single call.
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iOS 11.4 finally allows storage of Messages in iCloud
Unlike other chat clients and other cloud storage platforms, Apple's ecosystem didn't link one to the other for personal backups... until now.
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Can we stop blaming Google for Chat’s lack of end-to-end encryption?
Google's new Chat app is not even out yet, and already being criticized for its approach and lack of encryption. Read more as to our take of why that is.
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Patent troll wins another $500 million+ from Texas jury, but Apple is unlikely to pay
Notorious patent troll VirnetX has one more reason to celebrate, being awarded more than half a billion dollars by a US jury in its seemingly never-ending dispute with Apple. But the decision will be appealed.
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Apple is fixing Siri bug allowing hidden notifications to be read
It's an easy breach of privacy and all someone needs to do to get at it is to take your iPhone and ask Siri to read out your notifications.
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Entry-level iMessage on Android now available with weMessage
iMessage is finally on Android, though it will take a good few moments of setup and a macOS device to get some basic features.
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Apple Pay Cash applet can be deleted, but it can’t be re-downloaded
The iMessage app can be deleted, but, for some reason, can't be re-downloaded anyhow unless the user factory resets the device.
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YouTube links up with iMessage for instant video linkage, playback in threads
You can look up videos and play them back right from the iMessage thread. You can also finally share a video from the YouTube app to iMessage.
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Google encourages iPhoners to move to Android with new backups strategy
Apple’s first Android app, cruelly enough, was an app that allowed those considering switching from the green robot to an iWhatever to make sure all the data made the trip with them.
We don’t believe Apple would allow Google to make a similar app named “Move to Android” and put it in the App Store, but hey, at least you have a game plan if you want to go the other way around.
That plan is at android.com/switch and entails downloading some Google apps if you don’t already have them.
The Google Photos app can help users (who sign into their Google account) back up their photos to the cloud. The backups of high-quality “optimized” images or original quality photos up to 13 megapixels in resolution are free and don’t count against users’ data.
Up to 50,000 songs in switchers’ iTunes libraries can be moved to Google Play Music through a manager program, available from the site. Fair warning: signing up for Google Play Music will need a credit card on the account.
The Google Drive app has been updated to include backup functions for contacts and calendar events from your local drive, too.
Finally, you’re advised to turn off iMessage to keep your number from bursting with unnecessary messages on your dead account. That might be the biggest hurdle out of this journey, but it’s a must-do if you feel like switching operating systems.
The post Google encourages iPhoners to move to Android with new backups strategy appeared first on Pocketnow.
Google encourages iPhoners to move to Android with new backups strategy
Apple’s first Android app, cruelly enough, was an app that allowed those considering switching from the green robot to an iWhatever to make sure all the data made the trip with them.
We don’t believe Apple would allow Google to make a similar app named “Move to Android” and put it in the App Store, but hey, at least you have a game plan if you want to go the other way around.
That plan is at android.com/switch and entails downloading some Google apps if you don’t already have them.
The Google Photos app can help users (who sign into their Google account) back up their photos to the cloud. The backups of high-quality “optimized” images or original quality photos up to 13 megapixels in resolution are free and don’t count against users’ data.
Up to 50,000 songs in switchers’ iTunes libraries can be moved to Google Play Music through a manager program, available from the site. Fair warning: signing up for Google Play Music will need a credit card on the account.
The Google Drive app has been updated to include backup functions for contacts and calendar events from your local drive, too.
Finally, you’re advised to turn off iMessage to keep your number from bursting with unnecessary messages on your dead account. That might be the biggest hurdle out of this journey, but it’s a must-do if you feel like switching operating systems.
The post Google encourages iPhoners to move to Android with new backups strategy appeared first on Pocketnow.