Apple knows that iMessage’s blue bubbles are a big barrier to people switching to Android, which is why the service has never appeared on Google’s mobile operating system. That’s according to depositions and emails from Apple employees, including some high-ranking executives, revealed in a court filing from Epic Games as part of its legal dispute with the iPhone manufacturer.
Epic argues that Apple consciously tries to lock customers into its ecosystem of devices, and that iMessage is one of the key services helping it to do so. It cites comments made by Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi, and Apple Fellow Phil Schiller to support its argument.
What is the difference between text message and iMessage?
iMessages are in blue and text messages are green. iMessages only work between iPhones (and other Apple devices such as iPads). If you are using an iPhone and you send a message to a friend on Android, it will be sent as a SMS message and will be green.
“The #1 most difficult [reason] to leave the Apple universe app is iMessage ... iMessage amounts to serious lock-in,” was how one unnamed former Apple employee put it in an email in 2016, prompting Schiller to respond that, “moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us, this email illustrates why.”
“IMESSAGE ON ANDROID WOULD SIMPLY SERVE TO REMOVE [AN] OBSTACLE TO IPHONE FAMILIES GIVING THEIR KIDS ANDROID PHONES”
“iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones,” was Federighi’s concern according to the Epic filing. Although workarounds to using iMessage on Android have emerged over the years, none have been particularly convenient or reliable.
How do I get iMessage?
Enable port forwarding on your device so that it can connect to your smartphone directly through Wi-Fi (the application will tell you how to do this). Install the AirMessage app on your Android device. Open the app and enter your server's address and password. Send your first iMessage with your Android device!
