More than 10% of europeans use iMessage, enough for EU Digital Market Act to for...

_5ygc · on Nov 20, 2023

Apple’s own argument is this isn’t true. A “major number of users” have iMessage turned on automatically, but aren’t active users.

If even Apple says iMessage isn’t used by at least 45 million EU citizens… (to qualify for gatekeeper status)

ThatPlayer · on Nov 17, 2023

If iMessage gets declared a gatekeeper, RCS wouldn't be enough. Not all iMessage users can send/receive RCS or SMS.

TerrifiedMouse · on Nov 17, 2023

> Not all iMessage users can send/receive RCS or SMS.

What do you mean? If Apple includes RCS like they did SMS then it would operate as follows:

Is target an iPhone with iMessage enabled? Yes? Use iMessage. No? Fallback to RCS. RCS doesn’t work? Fallback to SMS.

kalleboo · on Nov 17, 2023

Your carrier would have to support RCS, right? Do any EU carriers do that?

Even carriers that supported RCS, like Vodafone, have shut it down https://9to5google.com/2023/03/27/vodafone-rcs-messages-andr...

Apple won't make the iPhone fall back to sending RCS though Google servers (like Android does) if there isn't carrier support for it, they'll just say "there is no RCS support on your carrier" and go for SMS.

vitorgrs · on Nov 17, 2023

I'm not sure it would follow. as part of the act is to allow other apps to request interop in these services like iMessage or WhatsApp.

But I guess it was worth to try this instead of directly opening iMessage for interop, for business reasons.

ThatPlayer · on Nov 17, 2023

iPads can do iMessage. iPhones with no phone plan can do iMessage. iPod Touches, used to be the cheap messaging devices for kids before phone plans became more widespread. Macbooks. Those cannot send or recieve SMS/RCS.

isametry · on Nov 18, 2023

And last but not least iMacs, Mac minis, Mac Studios and Mac Pros.

The word "Mac" encompasses all of those, just fyi.