Really want to keep my Pixel 2 XL but I can't get over how terrible the messaging is (iMessage)

[Almeuit]

The difference is, whether or not you actually intentionally SMS or not, you can still receive one. If a person does not have Whatsapp installed, then it's a no go. So technically speaking, SMS still has wider reach.

And? The point he was making is that countries would have to settle on an app. I simply said they have.

Yes SMS is built into all phones so it has that. Even with that said why are they using Whatsapp? ... Answer is obvious.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

The difference is, whether or not you actually intentionally SMS or not, you can still receive one. If a person does not have Whatsapp installed, then it's a no go. So technically speaking, SMS still has wider reach.

This is why Allo launched with the ability to send an SMS (most incoming SMS are free globally) with an invite to install Allo, etc. It is also why it's being worked on as part of APM, which puts the backbone reliance on Google Play Services, rather than having any particular app installed, or even being connected to a cellular network.

 

[chanchan05]

And? The point he was making is that countries would have to settle on an app. I simply said they have.

Yes SMS is built into all phones so it has that. Even with that said why are they using Whatsapp? ... Answer is obvious.

The point he was making is that SMS reach is still farther.

They use WhatsApp because it acts like a modern messaging app should: sends photos and videos with little compression if any. Which is why RCS would be nice.

However, I also agree with your points on WhatsApp. it might be too late to catch up now for RCS because the people using the different chat apps already have their relevant contacts on the same platform. I believe it would help on the Android to iPhone side mostly, in areas where iMessage vs Android is still an issue. But in countries like China where Weibo and Wechat are the big ones and available cross platform, not sure how it would be accepted.

 

[pseudoware]

Interesting thread. I'm the only Android user in a family of iSheep. This does nothing for the OP, but..

My wife gave me an iPhone 3GS for Christmas almost 10 years ago. OK, cool. When I opened it and saw that proprietary connector, my 1st thought was... this is BS. It only got worse. When I then realized I couldn't just plug it into a computer and drag and drop music and other files, I knew what was gonna happen. I endured it for a year before switching when the first new Windows Phone came out, lol. Haven't (and won't) go near an iPhone since, except when a family member needs help w/theirs, which becomes a reminder to me why it's still a BS ecosystem for sheep.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

This. Over 50% of countries have WhatsApp as the largest IM service and 100% of countries have something other than SMS as the largest service.

It's still split though, that's my pont.

100% of people who have a phone have access to SMS immediately and can universally communicate. You can't do that with an IM app.

WhatsApp maybe popular in some countries, but WeChat is more popular in others. Facebook Messenger is as popular as WhatsApp IIRC. Again my point was unless the whole world somehow agrees to one IM app (which there no definitely not one IM app in the obvious lead), it'll remain fragmented whereas a common universal is and will be SMS.

With SMS, I don't have to worry about what messaging program my friend and family are on, what phone and OS they have. I have their phone number, I can send a message. Can't do the same with an IM program unless I find out what everyone uses and sign up.

 

[chriskwarren]

The only answer is a fundamental infrastructure shift that is standardized (ie. RCS). I jumped on the Whattsapp wagon back when I had an iPhone 4 because that was what everyone around me was starting to use. Whattsapp had a big enough market penetration at the time to be ubiquitous enough to be worth moving to.

If Blackberry had allowed BBM to be installed on any device at that time I dare say that everyone would have moved to that platform around here. Unfortunately they waited too long and Whattsapp was the go-to option in Canada at that time.

This argument really boils down to folks who feel comfortable moving from one messaging app to another, to those who just want one solution and have it work. A lot of people won't understand the other's point as being important enough to them because its an underlying value issue.

I have no doubt that we will move to RCS (or similar) worldwide as an infrastructure upgrade that we will all end up using and tech enthusiasts will look back at the messaging dilemma as a quaint relic of the smartphone era. The issue will be that how long will this take.

Until then, OP won't have the issue resolved.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

The only answer is a fundamental infrastructure shift that is standardized (ie. RCS). I jumped on the Whattsapp wagon back when I had an iPhone 4 because that was what everyone around me was starting to use. Whattsapp had a big enough market penetration at the time to be ubiquitous enough to be worth moving to.

If Blackberry had allowed BBM to be installed on any device at that time I dare say that everyone would have moved to that platform around here. Unfortunately they waited too long and Whattsapp was the go-to option in Canada at that time.

This argument really boils down to folks who feel comfortable moving from one messaging app to another, to those who just want one solution and have it work. A lot of people won't understand the other's point as being important enough to them because its an underlying value issue.

I have no doubt that we will move to RCS (or similar) worldwide as an infrastructure upgrade that we will all end up using and tech enthusiasts will look back at the messaging dilemma as a quaint relic of the smartphone era. The issue will be that how long will this take.

Until then, OP won't have the issue resolved.

Even with RCS, most people still won't use SMS unless carriers workdwo stop charging for it.

 

[chanchan05]

Even with RCS, most people still won't use SMS unless carriers workdwo stop charging for it.

Yeah. But the important thing is that they can still receive it. Unlike if we stick to a third party service, you'll have to force people to install it.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Yeah. But the important thing is that they can still receive it. Unlike if we stick to a third party service, you'll have to force people to install it.

Did you see the post about how Allo solved that?

 

[chanchan05]

Did you see the post about how Allo solved that?

No Allo does not solve that because it doesn't come with all Android phones nor iPhones.

My S9 did not have Allo out of the box, and neither do iPhones.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

No Allo does not solve that because it doesn't come with all Android phones nor iPhones.

My S9 did not have Allo out of the box, and neither do iPhones.

Nothing to do with installing it, preloaded or otherwise:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?p=6215293

 

[chanchan05]

Nothing to do with installing it, preloaded or otherwise:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?p=6215293

Um, Allo doesn't use your number. Texts sent from Allo come from some weird number that won't register to your contact.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Um, Allo doesn't use your number. Texts sent from Allo come from some weird number that won't register to your contact.

Read the second half of the post

 

[chanchan05]

Read the second half of the post

I did. And that's an issue. You can't carry on a group conversation with it either. Without downloading Allo, you can't see the emojis, images, etc. It's basically the same as the old Yahoo Messenger feature of sending an SMS. So it's still doesn't solve the actual problem.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

I did. And that's an issue. You can't carry on a group conversation with it either. Without downloading Allo, you can't see the emojis, images, etc. It's basically the same as the old Yahoo Messenger feature of sending an SMS. So it's still doesn't solve the actual problem.

Maybe I linked the wrong post, should have been about app preview messaging.

 

[chanchan05]

Maybe I linked the wrong post, should have been about app preview messaging.

App preview messaging still takes up more data and phone resources than SMS or RCS would. And you still have to sign up for Allo. Some people prefer to have no Google accounts. So it's still not universal. And I'm not even sure if Allo is allowed in China.

 

[Jon_Cox]

It appears that Google is ready to tackle this given the rumors and apparent chatter in the code. I think we will hear more at I/O, which is exciting.

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Well Allo looks like is dead and Google are going with the RCS route: https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/19/...ages-chat-rcs-anil-sabharwal-imessage-texting

Exactly as some of us were saying - SMS is still widely used and far more versatile than having to get your friends/family to all agree to use a particular messaging app. Now looks like Google is going to have an iMessage experience with the messaging app.

"People, even in 2018, tend to just use the default app. Though WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger each have over a billion installs, those users are still falling back to SMS when they have to. It’s the universal, default option; every phone supports it, and it always works. Sabharwal estimates that 8 trillion SMS-based messages are sent every year."

SMS is the universal constant - works on every phone as long as you have a phone number attached. I'm glad Google are going the RCS route rather than dumping more time/money into a messaging app that's already behind many others. Odds are a lot of the stuff that was built into Allo will make its way to the updated Messages/Chat app.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Well Allo looks like is dead

How did you draw this from that link? It specifically says, "Google isn’t shutting down Allo".

Another source citing the same article says, "The Verge claims that Allo isn't dead. Google is just "pausing investment" in it while its developers are pushed over into Android Messages to work on Chat/RCS. Google still has plans to support Allo in the future."

Both what the Verge said directly and what other blogs took out of their post are the opposite of the conclusion that you led with.

 

[ClintRo]

I am so ticked off about this messaging issue.... just got people to switch to Allo because it is a good messenger and it is fun and now they are going this new direction.

I held out for a while because of Googles history of multiple messaging services and dropping support for hangouts (or changing it)