Exactly. They are well aware of the fact that Android users are left out in the cold. They are only able to do this because of their market position. If they really cared all they would have to do is create an iMessage API and the community would build it for them, but they would rather try and drive iPhone sales by building a walled garden.
I mean, wink wink, it's exactly what they wanted to do. Apple wanted a closed garden, they built it, and they won't allow anybody in from outside, and for now it's working, so, for them, there's no problem.
Steve (Jobs) famously, and impulsively claimed they were going to release FT as open source - so impulsive that he never even checked with their lawyers first, because it never happened due to legal/licensing issues, not because they didn't want to.
Do you think that's true, sounds exactly like a publicity stunt to ensure a big launch in the face of having no answer to "is it interoperable".
If you say "yeah sure it is, we're even releasing it as open source" then you prevent the product falling at the first hurdle because people want an interoperable solution. Once you have adoption network effect carries you through.
Sounds like most probably a standard corporate lie by Jobs; do you have evidence to the contrary?
I guess you mean something that is first party on both platforms? Otherwise SMS-like communication is obviously a solved issue (Signal/WhatsApp/Messenger et al).
> Does Android have something similar to iMessage?
Kind of-ish. The RCS support is rolling out slowly. Of course there is a big difference in that RCS is not end to end encrypted. Also, there is nothing stopping Apple from implementing RCS as well, but I doubt they will do.
If Apple does adopt RCS, it's likely only as a fallback for iMessage, much like SMS today. And rather than Apple abandoning control over their messaging platform, I'd sooner bet on Apple releasing iMessage and Facetime for Android with a small subscription fee. Probably in the range of US$1-$2/month.
If there's one thing that Apple hates more than lost profits, it's handing over control of anything to carriers. Cheap-subscription iMessage/Facetime for Android would strangle RCS/Duo in the cradle and put a thumb in the eye of the carriers, while bringing in some steady and significant regular revenue. Let's not forget that Apple is already offering a subscription service on Android, Apple Music. They're not averse to the concept.
