Is Apple’s iMessage the start of something bigger?

By on Jul 8, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Featured July 8, 2011

One of the most important features Apple announced at WWDC 2011 was iMessage. It’s not only a direct competitor to Research In Motion’s extremely popular BlackBerry Messenger service, but could serve as the start of a much larger social initiative. Looking at the big picture, iMessage isn’t just a text / photo / video messaging service that will work with all iOS devices including the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad, but it could also be the backbone for Apple to launch its own IM network that combines the company’s different strengths. Read on for my thoughts.

Right now, Apple has several ways to communicate on iOS and its OS X platform: iChat, FaceTime and iMessage. Why aren’t these services all tied together? Down the road, I think they will be. Imagine being able to add an iMessage account to iChat so you’re able to communicate not only from your iOS device with over 200 million users, but also from your desktop as well. Now your messages and conversations follow you from your iPhone to your iPad, and then to your iMac or MacBook Air as well. Why wouldn’t FaceTime be built into iChat too? The same way video calling now works on Apple devices could serve as the foundation for FaceTime calling to iMessage friends right through iChat.

Instead of relying on another IM network like AOL Instant Messanger, Apple is creating its own service on its own terms. The company has a chance to not only knock RIM down in the process, but also to finally switch hundreds of millions of users away from services like AIM to something much better and more comprehensive.

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249 Comments

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  • Guest

    Hmmm… an OTT initiative to replace the SMS cash cow?  Prepare for the carrier tiered data war to happen again.

  • tn

    Four years and they still haven’t dumped that horrible, space-wasting chat bubble theme?

  • Phed_Up

    Cause that is just what everyone is dying for….a way to chat!

    Tools….but the CrApple faithful will join in droves and speak of the new “magical” and “revolutionary” way to communicate that CrApple came up with….jeesh!

    What’s next, “iTalk” – a new and amazing way to communicate, you type in numbers and press a button, and someone somewhere else has a device that rings to let you know that they want to speak to you!

    Ooohh, ahhhh, ….iGag!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Z4ZPFYUCXMJKI6KIE3EBVZJWTQ Merle Torres

    I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, LiveCent.com

  • DaughertyEdwin

    “i  think a big difference is that with BBM and gtalk et al, you could text or use the chat service, but with the imessage, you automatically send an imessage if both parties are capable. That will lead to a much wider usage of the system.”

    I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Toshiba laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, RawCent.c om

  • Badvis2244

    I hate that apple ripped of BBM imessages can’t compete with bbm and the name just sounds horrible

  • Jonathan Tien

    Could I just point out that this could just be an extension Ichat? Apple have had this service for quite a while…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3PIN25VANYYZZKJMWWQECGHM34 Ada Flores

    I paid $32.67 for a XBOX 360 and my mom got a 17 inch Sony laptop for $94.83 being delivered to our house tomorrow by FedEX. I will never again pay expensive retail prices at stores. I even sold a 46 inch HDTV to my boss for $650 and it only cost me $52.78 to get. Here is the website we using to get all this stuff, PennyJump.com

  • Akilestar

    too bad gtalk already works on a pc or android phone or iphone or win 7 phone or android tablet or ipod touch or ipad… limit to apples devices is why Android is taking over.

  • http://profiles.google.com/barryvblalock Barry Blalock

    Did you boner’s not read the article? Of course it’s a ‘knock off’ and it’s brilliant. Take what works, take what you’re used to, and make it better. Pay attention, Retardo Montalban.

  • Homer Berkowitz

    Who cares if it’s a “knock off”.  That doesn’t matter with a feature with as much utility as this has. You think people aren’t going to use it just because it’s a “knock off”?  Hell no, people are going to use it more! 

    I think this is going to be even better of a feature than FaceTime.  The ability to send texts without having to use your texts on your wireless plan is priceless.  I’ll be able to lower my phone bill by lowering my text limit.  

    One feature I hope they copy from BBM is the security.  Cops can view your texts and track you.  I hope that iMessage will have more security built in than standard SMS messages.  

  • Anonymous

    So….imessage will further integrate all iphone users???  Thereby making the community even more narcissistic and nepotistic?  Eating it’s own dead as it were?  So long crApple.

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