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Ask HN: Is there an open standard to replace SMS online?

3 points by pspeter3 13y ago

I think that XMPP is great for instant messaging but doesn't really reflect how people use communications most of the time which is basically asynchronous messaging. Is there something to replace SMS/MMS and be open like email? I feel like Apple, Google and Facebook are trying to control the space right now with iMessage, Hangouts and Messenger respectively

yk 13y ago
Whats wrong with email? Everyone has a mail address, it is free and a well understood protocol. ( The only potential problem I see is, that mail clients are perhaps too heavy in comparison with SMS or IM.)
- pspeter3 13y ago
  Yeah, I think it's a design problem in some ways. Also having the distribution be fast enough so that way it can be almost real time chat would be important.
  - Zash 13y ago
    If distribution has to be fast, then what's wrong with XMPP?
    - pspeter3 13y ago
      I feel that XMPP is difficult and doesn't work with mobile as well. I was more thinking on the lines of being able to support GCM and APN
      - Zash 13y ago
        You know that GCM and APN are built on XMPP right?
        pspeter3 13y ago
        I did not. That's really cool!