Let me turn it around, why should Apple be forced to open it up? I don't really quite understand why iMessage is being treated as some almighty program that tho

Let me turn it around, why should Apple be forced to open it up? I don't really quite understand why iMessage is being treated as some almighty program that those who don't have it are left feeling inferior. It's just about the same as any other messaging app I've used. I sort of get the argument that it has an advantage on iPhones by being the app that handles SMS, but that doesn't seem like a reason to force them to put it on Android. It seems weird to force a developer to make an app for a given platform. If I being really conspiratorial, it seems that all this attention towards forcing Apple to port their app has covered up Google's continued lackluster efforts, and I wonder if there's not an intention behind that.