iOS 16 set to clean up one of Message's most annoying quirks
Date:
Wed, 08 Jun 2022 22:15:00 +0000
Description:
Apple is starting to fix compatibility problems with Android phones.
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From exciting the chaos of the recent WDCC 2022 event emerges hints that
Apple may be changing the way iPhones and Android devices interact forever.
Spotted by 9 To 5 Mac , iPhones running iOS 16 will be able to display emoji reactions to texts coming from Android smartphones in group chats. The
feature is slated to launch as part of iOS 16, which itself is being released sometime in Fall 2022. Tapback history
To understand why this is a welcomed change, its important to understand the problem. Tapbacks are emoji reactions meant to be a fast way to respond to a text on the iMessage app . You probably know them better as iMessages thumbs-up, thumbs-down, and the heart emojis.
If you send an emoji to an Android phone, they see it as a text, which is fine. The problem is when you send emojis to an Android phone in a group
chat. The text meant for the Android gets sent out to everyone and leads to a really annoying spam problem as iPhone users get inundated with texts they werent supposed to get.
We reached out to Apple and asked if they would like to make a statement
about the Tapback changes as well as the release date of the feature. While
it is expected to release as a part of iOS 16, the fact that Apple didnt mention the Tapback change in an official capacity may indicate that the feature is going to be in development for a while. Unfortunately, Apple never got back to us. Analysis: The one standard
In recent months, the gap between iOS and Android has been closing. Google appears more than willing to bridge this gap while Apple, not so much.
For example, Google updated its Messages app to support those iMessage
Tapback emojis that appear as an annotation to a text. This has been done thanks to the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol. RCS aims to bring features from various messaging apps to other devices and have a universal standard.
Apple, however, strongly prefers proprietary tech, and while Google has asked Apple to formally adopt RCS , Apple has yet to respond. Perhaps, Apple's
small Tapback change represents a tiny step on the path to full compatibility with a universal messaging standard. Though we wouldnt hold our breath.
There were lots of blink-and-you missed-it bits from WWDC. Heres a list of
our favorite ones .
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/news/ios-16-set-to-clean-up-one-of-messages-most-ann oying-quirks/
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