According to analysts at Informa, IP-based platforms such as WhatsApp now carry more messages than SMS infrastructure does. However, we should be cautious about how we interpret the figures. Read more »
While some people may be moderately annoyed by a FaceTime outage, iMessage problems is another story. Messaging is one of the most popular and important features for mobile devices. Read more »
Apple added more new iCloud users in the last quarter than it sold new iPhones. The company says it will continue to invest in its data centers that power its growing online services. Read more »
Did you have problems sending or receiving iMessages today? You weren’t alone, apparently. About half of iMessage users reported being unable to send messages through Apple’s app. Apple, unfortunately, isn’t a stranger to iCloud outages. Read more »
Mountain Lion’s first update is out and it fixes a variety of bugs discovered when the desktop OS was released a month ago. Though not mentioned in the update guide, some users report the update improves MacBook battery life. Read more »
Here’s our daily pick of stories about Apple from around the web you shouldn’t miss. Today’s installment: Apple’s market capitalization is now the highest of any company ever, Apple responds to SMS security report, how the iPad is outgrowing the iPhone, and Apple’s moves in Russia. Read more »
Smartphone sales surged both in the U.S. and worldwide, carriers struggled to cope with the ever-increasing consumption of mobile data, and the fight for spectrum remained front and center in the first quarter. Our latest quarterly wrap-up analyzes these trends and more. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
SMS is getting a facelift at Mobile World Congress. Mavenir Systems is launching a messaging platform that could turn carriers’ staid old SMS into a much more vibrant platform on par with Apple’s iMessage. But most importantly, the technology preserves SMS’s most valuable asset: its ubiquity. Read more »
We’ve heard about and been excited by the possibility of iMessage coming to the OS X desktop, but there are hints that the Mac’s iChat application could jump the other way and become part of Apple’s Messages app on iOS devices. Read more »
The carrier cash cow of SMS text messaging is on the wane, driven by third-party messaging apps that include BlackBerry Messenger, iMessage, Skype and others. So what will carriers do to replace it? Look for pricing changes and a focus on M2M. Read more »
iMessage, the new free messaging service introduced in iOS 5, is easy to set up, but group messaging can be a bit harder to work out straight away. There are a couple of limitations to know about, but generally, group messages work really well with iMessage. Read more »
While Apple delivered an overwhelming batch of updates, new features and new software in recent weeks, there are still some loose ends it could stand to tie up. Read on to discover why features like iMessage, Siri and AirPlay mirroring still feel somewhat incomplete. Read more »
A common theme of questions I’m seeing about iOS 5 relates to how the update plays well with shared family devices and Apple ID accounts. People obviously love using iOS among family, and that will probably only become more the case with iOS 5 and iCloud. Read more »
A big part of iOS 5 is iMessage, Apple’s new unified messaging platform for communicating between iOS 5 devices. It’s a great tool, but new users might have a hard time setting it up, since it’s tied so closely to the existing Messages app. Here’s how. Read more »
Apple previewed iOS 5 in July, so it isn’t exactly a surprise announcement at today’s event. But we did nail down a firm release date for Apple’s next major mobile operating system update, and got a better look at how some of its features will work. Read more »
It seemed like a no-brainer when Apple first unveiled iMessage for iOS devices: Why not build it into OS X, too? Well, turns out we may soon see iMessage work across nearly all Apple hardware, if new code discovered in Lion’s iChat is any indication. Read more »
Skype has acquired group messaging startup GroupMe for a rumored $85 million. The deal, while a good move on paper, isn’t going to be enough, as Skype itself is going through an identity crisis — whether it wants to be a consumer or an enterprise communications company. Read more »
Facebook Messenger arrived yesterday, bringing a cross-platform group messaging solution that leverages your Facebook network and SMS to reach a wide potential audience. I compared it to other messaging solutions, but let’s take a closer look at Facebook’s offering and what it can do. Read more »
Now that Facebook has thrown its hat in the ring, there are quite a few choices for mobile messaging on the iPhone and other iOS devices. The three big ones are Facebook Messenger, Google+ and iMessage. Here’s a chart comparing their features and abilities. Read more »
Toronto-based interactive user experience design firm teehand+lax have created an awesome look at what iMessage could become, if Apple truly wants to bring iOS and OS X together. They also suggest cool new ways in which iPhones and Macs communicate with one another. Read more »
It’s a wonder anyone still uses traditional cellular networking voice or text services at all, given all the alternatives that pop up. But each of these services faces a critical challenge, and in my opinion, they’re all just living on borrowed time. Read more »
Apple seems to have a significant impact on the future of work without directly intending to. The company’s next generation mobile operating system brings big improvements for consumers, but they’ll be no less beneficial to mobile workers. Read more »
Not long after Steve Jobs’s keynote, a lament went out about apps and services iOS 5 and iCloud will render obsolete. However, after reviewing early reports of iOS 5, I’d argue that many “threatened” apps will still hold a place in the hearts of users. Read more »
iOS 5 and Lion are both great updates that are sure to please consumers, but while the platforms feel deeply and productively intertwined, there are a couple remaining last steps Apple could and should take that would make working back and forth between both seamless. Read more »
iOS 5 introduces a lot of changes for Apple’s mobile operating system, but iMessages is one of the most significant. It lets iPad, iPhone and iPod touch owners send rich and group messages free of charge. It’s borrows from RIM’s playbook, but also challenges network operators. Read more »
