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Google and major mobile carriers want Europe to regulate Apple's iMessage platform (www.engadget.com)

submitted 1 year ago by Salamendacious@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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The long fight to make Apple's iMessage compatible with all devices has raged with little to show for it. But Google (de facto leader of the charge) and other mobile operators are now leveraging the European Union's Digital Market Act (DMA), according to the Financial Times. The law, which goes into effect in 2024, requires that "gatekeepers" not favor their own systems or limit third parties from interoperating within them. Gatekeepers are any company that meets specific financial and usage qualifications, including Google's parent company Alphabet, Apple, Samsung and others.

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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I never understood why WhatsApp is so popular. I used it (a long time ago) and just don't see it.

[–] WetBeardHairs@lemmy.ml 47 points 1 year ago

It's the network effect. Everyone else uses it - so it is easier to just use it than to not use it.

[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social 30 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Basically in a lot of Europe texting was or still is expensive and not unlimited and WhatsApp was a free alternative and Meta did not own it at the time.

So everyone was like well fuck texting and adopted apps like WhatsApp and then Meta bought WhatsApp. Now in these countries it's the defacto standard whether you like it or not. Businesses, people, and even sometimes government uses it as the default way to text. It sucks.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also WhatsApp had photos and shit. And no, MMS doesn't count. I don't even want to hear about MMS anymore.

[–] pascal@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

MMS and UMTS videocalls were dead in the water the second mobile carriers tried to charge a truckload for that. They did this, they basically made Whatsapp the standard.

[–] pascal@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

We use Whatsapp a lot in Europe, but business fronts still communicate with phone and email. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, everything is on whatsapp! You book an hotel? whatsapp message. You need a taxi? whatsapp! you want to order in room service? send a whatsapp message, there's not even a phone in the room. A tour guide will contact you directly on whatsapp, if you don't have it installed, good luck.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Doesn't it just use you phone number though? Like I could set it to be my default texting app, just like a ton of different texting apps.

[–] pascal@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, why?

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So it's more that companies text you. You don't need WhatsApp to send or receive those texts. So why do you need it installed or good luck? Is there some other functionality?

[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Here in the Netherlands a ton of businesses use WhatsApp. You see it listed as a primary contact method on stationary, signs, vehicles, advertisements, etc all the time here.

[–] pascal@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

That's fascinating! Love NL btw, amazing country!

[–] soulfirethewolf@lemdro.id 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I wish the US could have been the same in developing on internet messaging. Instead, It's virtually impossible to find a plan that doesn't have unlimited SMS and therefore no one ever sees the antiqueness of SMS to be an issue.

[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

I see pros and cons to it. I really do not like having WhatsApp be the default text platform. Seems like a huge conflict of interest.

One thing the EU is a clear winner on now is plan pricing. It's insane how much cheaper cell service here than in the states.

[–] Apollo2323@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Because it gave the possibility of free text and calling over the internet , that was a big deal for many developing countries and it is very simple to use. Like I heard some Apple fanboys said that iMessage comes already installed with the phone? And on my mind I am like : How hard is to download an app and just put your phone number you are up and running in less than 2 minutes.

[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

Even in non developing countries. Texting has historically been expensive and limited in a lot of the EU. My plan is still limited to something like 150 texts a month and I'd have to pay extra to work around that, but even if I did it wouldn't be worth the money because nobody uses text here.

[–] rishado@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

No other country offered unlimited texting back in the day.