They did. RCS. And it sounds like Apple will be adopting it due to regulatory pressure. But the idea of “Apple users will want to integrate with” has a flaw. A lot of their userbase happily drinks the Kool-aid and want their walled garden, even if it’s not in their best interest.
Maybe there is no kool-aid and it is just better, hence why these apps exist. As you said, RCS is coming yet people still aren’t happy. It sounds like Google can’t make a decent messaging app and is mobilising it’s user base to force the issue instead of innovating
Apple definitely came out with the better messaging product first. But RCS has nearly all the same features as iMessage.
Maybe it’s not drinking the kool-aid, Apple does make a good product. But since integrating RCS has no negative impact to them, and allows them to use those features with more people, why wouldn’t they want it?
Maybe, generally speaking on the userbase. I’m personally not interested in promoting Android or Google. I begrudgingly use it, but I’m not a fan. I am interested in interoperability, which this gives us.
Edit: Redundant
