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This article basically echos what the Google report said. If you are talking about US teenagers then iMessage is king. If you are looking at the rest of the w

This article basically echos what the Google report said. If you are talking about US teenagers then iMessage is king. If you are looking at the rest of the world then it is kind of a flop because in a lot of the rest of the world SMS is a complete rip off so a message system that falls back to SMS is useless, hence people in those countries use cross platform messaging that eliminates SMS on their phone.

orev 5y ago
If you want to avoid using SMS in iMessage, you can just turn it off in the settings. Very easy for anyone who wants to avoid it.
- colinmhayes 5y ago
  Then you can't talk to non-iPhone users?
  - justsomehnguy 5y ago
    And this is clearly shows how Americans percieve the thing. You can't send iMessage to non-iPhone user then. You still can send SMS/MMS to non-iPhone user. But because Apple intentionally bundled SMS/MMS messenger app into iMessage you are thinking iMessage == SMS/MMS. To give you an idea why are conflating them - you don't actually need a phone number for iMessage/FaceTime. Because the primary ID for it is your Apple ID, not your phone number.
r00fus 5y ago
Is it possible that Apple simply doesn't want to dominate messaging? I mean, if they do, what do they gain? (more revenue, more lock-in, more success) What do they risk? (regulatory/anti-trust implications) Apple can easily be understood by trying to avoid becoming IBM/AT&T. They don't want to be ubiquitous because that has its own regulatory challenges.
- mypalmike 5y ago
  I would be rather surprised if managers at Apple are directed to avoid building features that would help prompt greater sales in the name of avoiding ubiquity.
  - LASR 5y ago
    It basically boils down to money. If Apple considers the move to support rich messaging, and it seems like it will shut off a revenue stream, they won’t make the move. Keep in mind we’re largely talking about teenagers heavily influenced by peer pressure and for the most part wanting to spend their parents’ money on iPhones. Blue vs green arms these kids with an actual reason to tell their parents. If I was Apple, I don’t know why I would ever want to remove this high barrier to entry. Having it making me a ton of money.
- rodgerd 5y ago
  > Is it possible that Apple simply doesn't want to dominate messaging? Yes, but also that Apple don't want to make it easier for Google to get their grubby little fingers inside more of Apple customers' data than they already do.
- CRConrad 5y ago
  More lock-in = more network effect.
est31 5y ago
Also, the USA is one of the countries with the largest Apple marketshare in the smartphone market.
mobilio 5y ago
In Europe many people using iMessage everyday. Even in mine family we're all on iMessage.
- albertopv 5y ago
  In Italy no one use iMessage, everyone use whatsapp or telegram or both. I also don't know anyone using signal. I also don't knwo about facebook messenger, I don't use facebook anymore since 9 years ago.
  - unobatbayar 5y ago
    No one uses WhatsApp and Telegram simultaneously. It's oxymoronic. > I don't use facebook anymore since 9 years ago. WhatsApp is still Facebook.
    - Mashimo 5y ago
      > No one uses WhatsApp and Telegram simultaneously. It's oxymoronic. What do you mean? I use Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook messenger, Discord, Teams and rare times SMS on the same phone. Different apps for different friend groups.
    - albertopv 5y ago
      1. I use both WhatsApp and telegram with different people, a lot of people I know do this. 2. I meant I don't use Facebook Messenger or website chat. I know tech speaking WhatsApp now use same backend, I started using WhatsApp well before Facebook acquisition. Sorry but you are really just being pedantic.
    - mobilio 5y ago
      Honestly on mine phone i have - iMessage, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, Hangouts, Chat and Meet. I mostly use first four. Biggest missing from that list - Messenger, Twitter.
      - jandrese 5y ago
lstodd 5y ago
> a message system that falls back to SMS is useless This. Most of the rest of the world ditched SMS a decade or more ago.
- CRConrad 5y ago
  Eh... No.
saurik 5y ago
> If you are talking about US teenagers then iMessage is king. I really don't think this is true: I believe they mostly use the messengers built into TikTok and Instagram or are still on Snapchat.
- Jcowell 5y ago
  As someone probably younger than the lot of you: No. out of all social media messaging , teenagers are not using TikTok for communication purposes. Sending TikToks? Yes. Communication ? No.

orev 5y ago

If you want to avoid using SMS in iMessage, you can just turn it off in the settings. Very easy for anyone who wants to avoid it.

colinmhayes 5y ago
Then you can't talk to non-iPhone users?
- justsomehnguy 5y ago
  And this is clearly shows how Americans percieve the thing. You can't send iMessage to non-iPhone user then. You still can send SMS/MMS to non-iPhone user. But because Apple intentionally bundled SMS/MMS messenger app into iMessage you are thinking iMessage == SMS/MMS. To give you an idea why are conflating them - you don't actually need a phone number for iMessage/FaceTime. Because the primary ID for it is your Apple ID, not your phone number.

r00fus 5y ago

Is it possible that Apple simply doesn't want to dominate messaging? I mean, if they do, what do they gain? (more revenue, more lock-in, more success) What do they risk? (regulatory/anti-trust implications) Apple can easily be understood by trying to avoid becoming IBM/AT&T. They don't want to be ubiquitous because that has its own regulatory challenges.

mypalmike 5y ago
I would be rather surprised if managers at Apple are directed to avoid building features that would help prompt greater sales in the name of avoiding ubiquity.
- LASR 5y ago
  It basically boils down to money. If Apple considers the move to support rich messaging, and it seems like it will shut off a revenue stream, they won’t make the move. Keep in mind we’re largely talking about teenagers heavily influenced by peer pressure and for the most part wanting to spend their parents’ money on iPhones. Blue vs green arms these kids with an actual reason to tell their parents. If I was Apple, I don’t know why I would ever want to remove this high barrier to entry. Having it making me a ton of money.
rodgerd 5y ago
> Is it possible that Apple simply doesn't want to dominate messaging? Yes, but also that Apple don't want to make it easier for Google to get their grubby little fingers inside more of Apple customers' data than they already do.
CRConrad 5y ago
More lock-in = more network effect.

est31 5y ago

Also, the USA is one of the countries with the largest Apple marketshare in the smartphone market.

mobilio 5y ago

In Europe many people using iMessage everyday. Even in mine family we're all on iMessage.

albertopv 5y ago
In Italy no one use iMessage, everyone use whatsapp or telegram or both. I also don't know anyone using signal. I also don't knwo about facebook messenger, I don't use facebook anymore since 9 years ago.
- unobatbayar 5y ago
  No one uses WhatsApp and Telegram simultaneously. It's oxymoronic. > I don't use facebook anymore since 9 years ago. WhatsApp is still Facebook.
  - Mashimo 5y ago
    > No one uses WhatsApp and Telegram simultaneously. It's oxymoronic. What do you mean? I use Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook messenger, Discord, Teams and rare times SMS on the same phone. Different apps for different friend groups.
  - albertopv 5y ago
    1. I use both WhatsApp and telegram with different people, a lot of people I know do this. 2. I meant I don't use Facebook Messenger or website chat. I know tech speaking WhatsApp now use same backend, I started using WhatsApp well before Facebook acquisition. Sorry but you are really just being pedantic.
  - mobilio 5y ago
    Honestly on mine phone i have - iMessage, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, Hangouts, Chat and Meet. I mostly use first four. Biggest missing from that list - Messenger, Twitter.
    - jandrese 5y ago

lstodd 5y ago

> a message system that falls back to SMS is useless This. Most of the rest of the world ditched SMS a decade or more ago.

CRConrad 5y ago
Eh... No.

saurik 5y ago

> If you are talking about US teenagers then iMessage is king. I really don't think this is true: I believe they mostly use the messengers built into TikTok and Instagram or are still on Snapchat.

Jcowell 5y ago
As someone probably younger than the lot of you: No. out of all social media messaging , teenagers are not using TikTok for communication purposes. Sending TikToks? Yes. Communication ? No.