The makers of the Nothing Phone have announced a new Nothing Chats app, which it claims brings iMessage to Android… sort of.
Weighing in on the blue bubble vs green bubble war, Nothing says it has developed a first of its kind solution. Nothing Chats effectively enables Nothing Phone (2) owners to exchange iMessage messages with iPhone users… and they’ll be delivered as a blue bubble too!
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Nothing Chats has been developed with the team from the Sunbird messaging app – which combines messaging app inboxes, including iMessage – and Nothing CEO Carl Pei reckons the app going to annoy his Apple counterpart Tim Cook.
Pei says the app isn’t just about turning green messages blue, but will also integrate other iMessage features like live typing indicators, full-resolution media sharing, group messaging, and voice notes from launch.
Other much-desired cross platform features, like read receipts and message reactions/replies will be “coming soon”.
The company reckons the lack of desire for iPhone users to leave iMessage behind has contributed to most of its smartphone customers coming from other Android manufacturers. Having, in effect, access to iMessage chats might be enough to turn the tide in Nothing’s favour, the former OnePlus big wig believes.
Whether this breaks any rules or infringes upon any check is unclear at this point. Pei admits the app is a bit “naughty”, believes no other Android manufacturer would attempt it, and reckons Tim Cook will be forwarding the video to “people within the company.”
Apple has resisted all pressure to open up iMessage from across the mobile spectrum, mostly from Google, which wants Apple to adopt RCS messaging as an industry standard. Competition regulators are also on Apple’s case about the walled garden that is iMessage.
Users of the Nothing Phone (2) will be able to download the Nothing Chats app from Google Play on Friday. You’ll need to be in the US, Canada, EU, or UK initially.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
