Google's new interoperable messaging pledge piles the pressure on Apple and iMessage
Google already wanted Apple to add RCS support, but now it's turning its attention to MLS.
In a move that will surely add pressure on Apple to do the same, Google says it's folding a new interoperable messaging specification into its Messages app.
The recent publication of the IETF’s Message Layer Security (MLS) specification is another step on the road to major messaging platforms being interoperable, allowing people to send messages between services for the first time. Google says it's applying MLS to the Messages app on Android, but what comes next?
Whether Apple will choose to follow suit is a big question and while Apple hasn't commented publicly, we think we might already know the answer.
Apple's walled garden
Anyone hoping that Apple will add MLS support to the iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch might have to wait a long time for that to happen — if it all. Apple sees iMessage as a key part of the reason people use its devices in the first place and opening it up to Android users in this way would likely lessen its pull. That's also likely why iMessage doesn't support RCS, a rich replacement for SMS that supports many of the features of iMessage but is cross-platform.
Google made its own announcement in a blog post , saying that it is "strongly supportive of regulatory efforts that require interoperability for large end-to-end messaging platforms." Google didn't elaborate, but that's likely a comment related to the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA has already taken aim at iMessage and wants to make it so that all large messaging platforms work seamlessly together, no matter who owns them. Google appears to be in agreement according to its comments in this blog post.
Google says that MLS "enables practical interoperability across services and platforms" while also remaining "flexible enough to allow providers to address emerging threats to user privacy and security, such as quantum computing."
Whether that's enough to get Apple on board remains to be seen.
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Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.
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FFR Ledsteplin said:Third best seller in Japan at 8%, is the iPhone SE 3rd generation.
Japan loves their iPhones, I believe the iPhone has a 70% marketshare in Japan.
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Lee_Bo Suits me just fine. If a friend uses Android and can’t sent me a message then they’ll have to email or call me.Reply -
BalrogWing While I get RCS is sms improved, I still don’t understand what the big deal is. Apple’s Messages app falls back to sms which is available on all devices, so isn’t that interoperability? My wife has an S23 Ultra and we’ve never had an issue with her sending me a picture or text to my iPhone.Reply -
EdwinG
I agree with you.BalrogWing said:While I get RCS is sms improved, I still don’t understand what the big deal is. Apple’s Messages app falls back to sms which is available on all devices, so isn’t that interoperability? My wife has an S23 Ultra and we’ve never had an issue with her sending me a picture or text to my iPhone.
The only limitations I know of is the lack of attachement support and limited to 1 minute videos. I rarely even run into those 😅 -
BalrogWing
Same and I’m not trying to defend Apple as holier than thou or whatever, but I feel like they’re making a huge issue out of nothing.Ed7789 said:I agree with you.
The only limitations I know of is the lack of attachement support and limited to 1 minute videos. I rarely even run into those 😅 -
FFR BalrogWing said:While I get RCS is sms improved, I still don’t understand what the big deal is. Apple’s Messages app falls back to sms which is available on all devices, so isn’t that interoperability? My wife has an S23 Ultra and we’ve never had an issue with her sending me a picture or text to my iPhone.
It’s not. Googles version of rcs would need to go through googles server and is not compatible with carriers RCS.
It also has problems working properly.
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BalrogWing
Yup I understand that about Google's RCS, I had a Pixel 6 Pro before my iPhone and had some issues with it working as well. I'm guessing it not being managed by carriers is a reason Apple won't replace sms with it...FFR said:It’s not. Googles version of rcs would need to go through googles server and is not compatible with carriers RCS.
It also has problems working properly. -
FFR BalrogWing said:Yup I understand that about Google's RCS, I had a Pixel 6 Pro before my iPhone and had some issues with it working as well. I'm guessing it not being managed by carriers is a reason Apple won't replace sms with it...
Carriers have their own version of rcs that is incompatible with googles, apple isn’t supporting the carriers version either.
SMS works without any data just a cellular signal, rcs does not. There is absolutely no reason for apple to support rcs or get rid of sms.
Seems to be a lot of pixel users switching to iPhone in the past two years.