Google shouldn't have done its part to kill XMPP if they really cared about lock-in.
iMessage is incredibly popular with certain demographics in the United States -- it's an in-group signifier the way teens have always had in-group signifiers (when I was in high school, it was AIM, a Nokia, and wearing Abercrombie) and that isn't about bullying. If Google had its way, its products would be used as the ways to "bully" the out-group. So this is much ado about nothing.
It is notable that iMessage has persisted with its popularity in the US for as long as it has. And it is true that iMessage is definitely an ecosystem carrot, again, in the US. But in countries that didn't adopt SMS/MMS the same way we did in the US (b/c of cost/international variance/etc), the in-group messaging app is something else. It's always fascinating for me to go to other countries and see a ton of iPhone users not using iMessage but something else because that app has become the in-group signifier.
And every teen I know uses Discord more than they use almost anything else. The ranking typically goes Discord, IG, iMessage.
Having said all of that -- even if you took away iMessage, the iPhone would still be a status symbol/in-group signifier for a lot of people, especially young adults in the US. Samsung has had the best track record with some of its devices with approaching similar brand loyalty/"it" factor, but even if Apple adopted RCS -- it's not like the phone all the influencers and cool teens would be using would be Pixels. It would still be the iPhone for a host of reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with technology. White earbuds have been a fashion marker for 20 years now and that's what this comes down to. It isn't about lock-in or regulation or technology. It's about fashion.
> Google shouldn't have done its part to kill XMPP if they really cared about lock-in
Exactly this, Google was happy to be against open communication platforms when it felt it was in their interest but as soon as it goes the other way "Oh we should all be using RCS"
iMessage is incredibly popular with certain demographics in the United States -- it's an in-group signifier the way teens have always had in-group signifiers (when I was in high school, it was AIM, a Nokia, and wearing Abercrombie) and that isn't about bullying. If Google had its way, its products would be used as the ways to "bully" the out-group. So this is much ado about nothing.
It is notable that iMessage has persisted with its popularity in the US for as long as it has. And it is true that iMessage is definitely an ecosystem carrot, again, in the US. But in countries that didn't adopt SMS/MMS the same way we did in the US (b/c of cost/international variance/etc), the in-group messaging app is something else. It's always fascinating for me to go to other countries and see a ton of iPhone users not using iMessage but something else because that app has become the in-group signifier.
And every teen I know uses Discord more than they use almost anything else. The ranking typically goes Discord, IG, iMessage.
Having said all of that -- even if you took away iMessage, the iPhone would still be a status symbol/in-group signifier for a lot of people, especially young adults in the US. Samsung has had the best track record with some of its devices with approaching similar brand loyalty/"it" factor, but even if Apple adopted RCS -- it's not like the phone all the influencers and cool teens would be using would be Pixels. It would still be the iPhone for a host of reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with technology. White earbuds have been a fashion marker for 20 years now and that's what this comes down to. It isn't about lock-in or regulation or technology. It's about fashion.