Why doesn't Hangouts work more like Apple's Messages?

[Michael Alan Goff]

We have Hangouts apps on basically everything. The app on Android does SMS if you let it. Why can't you get them on anything else? It could even come up with some sort of warning about it if they're afraid of legal issues.

 

[Rukbat]

Apple has already made it quite clear that it will not allow anyone to use the iMessage code, algorithms, method of doing things - they'll even sue if Hangouts can send messages as long as, and files as large as, iMessage. No company that wants to stay in business is going to challenge that in any court - they've already lost before Apple sues them. Making something open source says "do whatever you want with it". Apple did exactly the opposite - "don't do anything that might bear the slightest resemblance to anything in out patent or we'll consider it infringement". They did it to Microsoft for Windows (it looks like the Mac user interface - because it's graphic, not text). And Google earns only about 75% of what Microsoft earns.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Apple has already made it quite clear that it will not allow anyone to use the iMessage code, algorithms, method of doing things - they'll even sue if Hangouts can send messages as long as, and files as large as, iMessage. No company that wants to stay in business is going to challenge that in any court - they've already lost before Apple sues them. Making something open source says "do whatever you want with it". Apple did exactly the opposite - "don't do anything that might bear the slightest resemblance to anything in out patent or we'll consider it infringement". They did it to Microsoft for Windows (it looks like the Mac user interface - because it's graphic, not text). And Google earns only about 75% of what Microsoft earns.

Wait.

Apple patented SMS and IM combo on a PC? HOW?!