Apple is still toying with the idea to bring iMessage to Android

Apple’s iMessage on iOS 10

In the past year or so, there have been a few rumors making their rounds which suggest that Apple will finally give into the Android faithful and bring iMessage to Google’s platform. One rumor, which gained a lot of traction, suggested that it would be Apple’s “One More Thing” at WWDC 2016, but as we all know now, those rumors turned out to be false.

Due to the rumors surrounding an iMessage port to Android, Walt Mossberg asked an Apple executive why the move didn’t happen. The response was Apple-esque and explained that it’s simply just good for business to keep iMessage attached to iOS. If you need/want iMessage, you have to get an iPhone.

I’ve heard from little birdies that mockups of iMessage for Android have circulated within the company, with varying UI styles ranging from looking like the iOS Messages app to pure Material Design. iMessage for Android may never see the light of day, but the existence of detailed mockups strongly suggests that there’s no “of course not” to it.

–John Gruber, Daring Fireball

Now, a new rumor is suggesting that Apple hasn’t given up on the idea of bringing iMessage to Android. In fact, this latest rumor suggests that the Cupertino-giant has created various mockups of what the app would look like on Android devices. These mockups include possible user interfaces for the app, with one showing a design similar to what’s on iOS, while the other takes advantage of Google’s Material Design.

Apple already has entered the Google Play Store with three different applications: Apple Music, Move to iOS, and Beats Pill+. Unsurprising, these apps all have 3-star ratings due to various issues including the design aesthetics.

As someone who has used both platforms, but started on iOS, I can understand the frustration for wanting to switch to Android but not wanting to leave iOS due to iMessage. It’s the best messaging platform on the mobile market, and Google has even taken notice with its release of Allo and Duo.

Allo really seems to be Google’s direct competitor for iMessage, as it is now pre-installed on the Pixel and Pixel XL, while leaving Hangouts in the dust. The problem with this still comes down to easily being able to chat with those on other platforms without a hitch.

We’ll see if Apple follows through on this rumor, but it likely wouldn’t be until sometime next year, if not further in the future. In the meantime, we’ll be relegated to using apps such as PieMessage to use iMessage features on our various Android devices.

[Daring Fireball]