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How RCS on iPhone Will Make Texting Better for Everyone (www.cnet.com)

submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/technology

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The email vendor doesn't really matter though unless you are sending or receiving emails. Phone numbers require you to pay a carrier every month. And while most people have phone numbers, some don't, especially children.

My mum used iMessage to communicate with my sister before she got a phone number. If she switched to Android, I guess there's Google Chat, but you know how Google is with their chat apps.

Ideally you'd be able to choose between phone number OR email. Like iMessage.

[–] Zak 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

If she switched to Android, I guess there’s Google Chat, but you know how Google is with their chat apps.

That's far from the only option. I can think of half a dozen relatively mainstream options off the top of my head (Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, Discord, Matrix, Skype), though I think the first three still want a phone number. There are many more.

The trouble is getting people to agree on one.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yeah signal, telegram, and whatsapp all want phone numbers I think. And I don't think I'd be able to convince my mum to use Discord or Matrix. She'd probably end up using something like Facebook Messenger/Messenger Kids

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Signal recently updated to allow usernames instead of phone numbers.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I think you still need a phone number though. I think that's just for if you don't want to give out your phone number.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Ah, that may be true indeed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Signal is now "phone number to login to the account, but you can share a username with other people"

Not 100% but better than some.