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Send texts, photos, videos, and audio messages — all from the Messages app

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iMessage was announced by Scott Forstall at the WWDC keynote in 2011. When iOS 5 was released in October, it included a version of the messages app that had iMessage built-in. In early 2012, Apple announced that a new Messages app would be included in OS X Mountain Lion which was released on July 25, 2012.

By 2012, Tim Cook announced that over 300 billion messages had been sent using iMessage. In 2016, Eddie Cue announced that 200,000 iMessages were being sent every second. Apple also announced an App Store for the platform in 2016.

When Apple announced its messaging platform, mobile carriers were caught off guard as it took over SMS technology. One of the reasons it was initially so successful is that users didn’t realize they were using something new. The only visual change was that the messages went from green to blue. The box for typing message had a faint iMessage in the box before starting a message as well.

Since its release, Google has tried multiple times to create its own messaging service similar to iMessage, but it hasn’t been able to find the same success. Apple has been applauded for including end-to-end encryption in iMessage.

We use end-to-end encryption to protect your iMessage and FaceTime conversations across all your devices. With watchOS and iOS, your messages are encrypted on your device so that they can’t be accessed without your passcode. We designed iMessage and FaceTime so that there’s no way for us to decrypt your data when it’s in transit between devices. You can choose to automatically delete your messages from your device after 30 days or a year or to keep them on your device forever.

Third-party apps that use iMessage do not have access to participants’ actual contact information or conversations. iOS provides each app with a random identifier for each participant, which is reset when the app is uninstalled. iMessage and SMS messages are backed up on iCloud for your convenience, but you can turn iCloud Backup off whenever you want. And we never store the content of FaceTime calls on any servers.

In iOS 11.4, Apple released Messages in the Cloud. If you enable it, it keeps your entire message history updated and available on all your devices. If you purchase a new device, all of your conversations will be synced over as well.

Feature Request: A Telegram-style ‘silent message’ option in Apple’s Messages

Apple's Messages app should have a silent message option

Telegram this weekend added a ‘silent message’ option to the latest version of its app. I thought this was a really handy feature and is something I’d like to see Apple add to Messages.

There are three main scenarios where the audible alert you get with incoming Messages may be unwelcome, and the iPhone currently offers solutions for only two of them…


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Trump administration considering banning end-to-end encryption – Politico

Trump administration considering banning end-to-end encryption

The Trump administration is considering the possibility of banning end-to-end encryption, as used by services like Apple’s Messages and FaceTime, as well as competing platforms like WhatsApp and Signal.

The topic was reportedly the main topic of a previously-unreported meeting of a National Security Council meeting on Wednesday …


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profile photo iMessage

iOS 13 Messages: How to choose profile photo and display name for iMessage

With iOS 13 for iPhone and iPad, you can now set up your own iMessage profile with a first name, last name, and profile picture. The next time you chat to someone with iMessage, they can update their local contact info to see your new photo and details.

Here’s how to pick your own profile picture and name in the new Messages app …


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Apple, Google & others condemn UK proposal to secretly add law enforcement to encrypted chats

Luxshare stealing secrets Apple supplier

Apple, Google, Microsoft and 44 other organisations and security experts have signed an open letter condemning a proposal to secretly add law enforcement organizations to encrypted chats and calls.

The proposal by GCHQ – Britain’s equivalent of the NSA – seeks to provide an encryption workaround that would breach privacy and security in apps like Messages, FaceTime, WhatsApp and Signal …


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Facebook takes next step in plans for unified messaging service to rival iMessages

Signs of a unified messaging service spotted in Facebook code

Update: Facebook has confirmed to us that it is testing ways to improve the messaging experience but has no further details to share at this stage.

Facebook has taken the next step in its plans to unify its Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram messaging apps into a single, unified messaging service. The result would be something likely to rival iMessage as an ultra-convenient one-stop messaging option …


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UK’s GCQH wants Apple and others to secretly add law enforcement to encrypted chats and calls

GCHQ Apple

Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) – the UK equivalent of the NSA – is calling on Apple and other tech companies to secretly add law enforcement agents to Messages chats, FaceTime calls and other forms of encrypted chat on demand.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has said this would be like the recently-discovered FaceTime bug, only worse …


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Comment: It’s time to rethink iMessage notifications

iMessage notifications

One of the best parts of iMessage is its seamless integration with SMS. One of the worst parts about iMessage is its reliance on looking like SMS in an app. I still remember when iMessage originally launched in iOS 5. With an 80+ year-old office building, getting text messages was nearly impossible for me. When Apple launched iMessage, I was able to use Wi-Fi, it was a game changer for me. Over six years later, iMessage is mostly the same. It’s still heavily tied to the same app that uses SMS. While it’s added iMessage “apps”, it’s still largely the same app and service that Apple launched years ago. I’ve realized that out of my major frustrations with iMessage, how it handles notifications is at the top of the list.
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Chinese state media announces Apple is developing ‘advanced technology’ to reduce iMessage spam

For the last few days, Chinese state media started a mini smear campaign on Apple, criticising the company’s App Store policies and voicing frustration at ongoing SMS and iMessage spam in the region.

Reuters reports that the Chinese media quoted an Apple rep announcing that Apple will be rolling out new ways to block iMessage spam accounts, and is developing ‘advanced technology’ to automatically identify junk messages. In a statement to Reuters, Apple said that they have been ‘working to reduce the issue of spam for quite some time’.


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Microsoft says it would love to work with Apple to bring iMessage support to Windows

At its Build developer conference this year, Microsoft revealed a new “Your Phone” application that it hopes will make iOS and Android devices work better with Windows 10 PCs. The app bring things such as photos, texts, and more directly from your smartphone to your Windows PC.

One key missing feature, however, is iMessage support – but Microsoft says it would love to work with Apple to change that…


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Telstra acknowledges widespread iMessage & FaceTime outage, says it’s working on a fix

iphone x

Update: Telstra says the issue has been resolved and service is being “progressively restored.”

Earlier today some customers experienced a disruption to Apple iMessage and FaceTime services. We worked with Apple to resolve this issue. Services are now being progressively being restored. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused.

Telstra, one of the largest mobile carriers in Australia, is experiencing a widespread outage of iMessage and FaceTime services. Oddly enough, this outage only seems to affect Apple’s services, as everything else functions normally. The carrier has confirmed the outage on Twitter and says it is working on a fix…


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Receiving an Indian character crashes Messages and other apps in iOS 11 [U: Mac & Watch too]

Update: It’s now been confirmed that the issue affects both Macs and Apple Watches too.

There have been a number of cases where sending a particular message to an iOS device causes the Messages app to crash, leaving users unable to re-open it – and a new one has emerged in iOS 11.

Sending a specific Telugu (Indian language) character to a device running iOS 11.2.5 causes the app to crash, and then fail to re-open. In some cases, it can require a DFU reset to fix it …


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Delta enabling free in-flight iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger use starting Sunday

Good news for passengers flying Delta: the airline is enabling free in-flight iMessage use on most flights starting Sunday. That means you can use your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to send and receive those blue messages without paying up for data. Delta says the new complimentary in-flight messaging perk, which also includes WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, is part of a “multi-billion dollar investment in the customer experience.”


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