Will Marzipan be locked to the Mac App Store, and what effect will it have on the Mac experience? Bryan Chaffin is joined by Andrew Orr to discuss this, as well as the idea that iMessage is slowly backing its way to being Apple’s first successful social media play. They cap the show with a look at recent WWDC spoilers.
iMessage
Apple Support 3.1 Adds iMessage Integration
Apple Support version 3.1, updated today, adds iMessage integration into the app for customers in the United States.
Apple says that this feature is limited to the United States and is available for select topics only. Today’s update also introduces an improved experience for scheduling reservations at the Genius Bar and Authorized Service Providers, and it includes other unspecified bug fixes and performance improvements.
iOS 12.2 Improves Audio Message Quality
In the latest iOS 12.2 beta Apple has improved audio message quality by switching to a different codec for files.
Details on the improvement in audio quality were shared on Twitter this morning, and we confirmed the change on our own devices. Apple previously used the .AMR file format for its audio messages, but in the beta, has swapped over to .CAF.
The Opus codec, coming in a 24000 Hz, is a big increase from the old AMR codec at 8000 Hz. Opus is used by other messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WebRTC.
This Weird Trick Will Make Five Eyes Countries Hate You
Michael Grothaus argues that it’s the perfect time for Android iMessage thanks to Facebook’s plans to unify its messaging apps.
The iPhone maker’s messaging app is widely regarded as one of the best messaging apps ever, thanks to its clean, simple design, its ability to send and receive both encrypted iMessages and regular SMS text messages in the same interface, and its end-to-end encryption.
It’s not the first time this has been suggested, but I think Android iMessage would be great for users. We need an end-to-end encrypted messaging app from a company with a better track record than Facebook.
RCS, Successor to SMS, Could Come to Apple Devices
RCS is a technology touted as the replacement for SMS. It will bring rich, iMessage-like features to texting, and major carriers support it. And it sounds like Apple is interested.
According to the purported slide from the conference, Apple has “engaged in discussions with the GSMA and Operators about including RCS in iOS.” This is inherently vague and doesn’t offer too many details about the extent to which Apple is involved, but the pitch seems to center on three things.
I find it unfortunate that RCS seems to only support encryption during transport, and not end-to-end encryption. Governments around the world would probably not let end-to-end encryption become so widespread.
iMessage is the Biggest Competitor to Facebook Messenger
In an earnings call on Tuesday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that iMessage is the biggest competitor to Facebook Messenger.
iOS Business Chat Expands to 30 Companies Worldwide
Business Chat is Apple’s take on chat bots like those found in Facebook Messenger. But Facebook can’t match Apple’s iMessage encryption.
The Charm of the Chime – Mac Geek Gab 709
You have questions, Dave and John have answers. Today’s topics include malfunctioning AirPods, setting Apple Pay addresses, restoring a Recovery Partition, email and iMessage encryption, and much, much more. Download, press play, enjoy, and learn!
Debating the Mac mini's Fate, iMessage for Windows - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-11
John Martellaro and Bryan Andrew Orr join Jeff Gamet to look at Apple’s Mac mini and debate whether it needs an update or to go end of life. They also discuss Microsoft’s push to bring iMessage to Windows.
Should Apple Make an Android iMessage App?
Pundits have been calling on Apple for years to do this, but is it the right move?
5 Private Chat Apps and How They Compare With Each Other
There are plenty of private chat apps on the market, but are they all the same?
Russia's Telegram Ban Could Be First Salvo against Apple's iMessage and Other Encrypted Platforms
On Monday, state regulators began blocking access to Telegram, and Bryan Chaffin is wondering what that might mean for Apple and its iMessage platform, and to other encrypted communications platforms.
iOS: How to Send Links in iMessage Without the Rich Preview
The link will be sent without the preview. It shows as a regular link on both ends.
Indian Character Bug Crashes iPhones and Messaging Apps
There’s a new way to crash your iPhone and put some messaging apps into a perpetual crash loop in iOS 11. All it takes is a single Telugu (Indian language) character sent in a message.
Apple Fixes iMessage Order Bug in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, Also Patches 17 Security Holes
Apple released macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 Tuesday, an update that fixes the problem of iMessage conversations being out of order.
Apple’s Battery PR Disaster, Social Media’s Negative Impact, and the Importance of Animoji – ACM 443
The boys are fuming over Apple’s self-induced iPhone battery fiasco, and argue the company will lose lawsuits over the issue, whether or not they lose in court. They also discuss Chamath Palihapitiya’s argument that social media is ripping society apart. They cap the show with an in-depth discussion on why Animoji is important, and how Apple is turning iMessage into a hybrid social media platform.
Boxing Day with Your Two Favorite Geeks – Mac Geek Gab 689
Recurring Keychain authorization requests bugging you? iMessages out of order? Want to know what to do with your dead drives? This is just where your two favorite geeks start this week’s episode. Then it’s on to a headphone and earphone discussion, including some talk about letting ambient sound in, and letting someone else listen in on your bluetooth connection! Cool Stuff Found rounds out the show. Press play, listen, and learn! Oh, and enjoy, too.
YouTube on iOS Adds Support for Sharing Videos to iMessage
If it still doesn’t appear in the iMessage app drawer, you may need to delete and reinstall the YouTube app.
macOS: How to Archive iMessages with Automator
The method that I created will export your messages in the iChat file format. You can double-click the file to have it open in Messages.
Apple Building 2nd Data Center in Denmark, Will Be Powered by Renewable Energy
Apple is building its second data center in Denmark, according to Reuters, citing Apple itself as the source. Like Apple’s other data centers, this one will also be powered entirely by renewable energy. Apple has committed to having 100% of its global operations powered by renewable energy. This data center will be located in Aabenraa, a town in southern Denmark near the German border, and Apple plans to open it in the second quarter of 2019. It will drive the company’s iTunes Store, App Store, iMessage, Maps, and Siri in Europe.
How to Get Hackintosh Messages to Work Consistently
Here’s what it takes to be able to send iMessages and use SMS text forwarding on your Hackintosh.
Get Jim Dalrymple and Bryan Chaffin iMessage Stickers
OK, get this. Nodconcept made this custom emoji of me for the company’s Facebook emoji app for iOS. They made one for my friend Jim Dalrymple of The Loop, too. Facebook emoji apps are so 2009, but the Emoti emoji are available as an iMessage sticker pack. And—more importantly—Nodconcept told me they added the emojis for me and Jim to that sticker pack.
macOS: Saving Out Messages Conversations
Got some incriminating text messages you’d like to save? Or maybe you don’t want to blackmail your friends and would just like to keep a certain conversation forever and ever? This Quick Tip is for you in either case. We’ll discuss how to save out a single Messages conversation on your Mac!
iOS 10: Drawing on Your Pictures in Messages
If you liked Melissa Holt’s Quick Tip about using Photos on the Mac to mark up images, then you’re gonna need to check out this one too. Wanna annoy your friends and family by drawing on the pictures you send them through Messages? Sure you do, and we’ll tell you how!