Nothing Phone (2) has achieved a milestone by becoming the inaugural Android smartphone to officially integrate Apple iMessage support, bringing a twist to the age-old Android vs iPhone messaging rivalry.
Users can now access official iMessage support through the Nothing Phone (2) utilizing the Nothing Chats app. Nothing Chats is specifically crafted to facilitate seamless transitions between smartphones and iPhones, providing an alternative to the Sunbird app.
Despite ongoing encouragement from Google for Apple to make iMessage compatible with Android, Nothing Chats aims to address the iMessage challenge faced by Android smartphones. The app, developed in collaboration with Sunbird, will be released on the Google Play Store on November 17, initially exclusive to the Nothing Phone (2).
Users can ensure integration with iMessage by linking their Apple iCloud account to Nothing Chats. The Nothing Phone (2) is currently available for a price tag of around $699.
Privacy concerns are associated with Nothing Chats. Despite Nothing’s assurance that it doesn’t store messages on servers, there remains a theoretical risk of unauthorized access by malicious third parties to personal data.
The newly launched app is devoid of features like emoji reactions, message editing, and read receipts, which are available in iMessage. In addition to being exclusive to usage on the Phone (2), the app’s availability is initially limited to the US, UK, Canada, and the EU, with plans for expansion into other markets in the future. Furthermore, integration with Nothing Chats may also extend to the Nothing Phone (1).
It remains unclear whether Google will succeed in bringing iMessage support to Android phones but it is possible that Nothing will lead the way for other OEMs to try and achieve the same thing in the near future.
