[int_19h]

Apple get shit for it because they made it a proprietary protocol for which clients are not available on anything except their own hardware. The whole point of messaging is that it should work with all my contacts, not just those who drank the Apple-flavored Kool-Aid.

[paulmd]

Google’s protocol is proprietary too - their encryption extension makes it inaccessible for anyone else and google will not partner or license (companies have tried).

RCS as currently implemented is iMessage but with a coat of google paint. There is no there there.

[int_19h]

Google should get plenty of shit too for closing down GTalk in the first place. It's not an either-or. Big tech in general hates open protocols and interoperability for consumer stuff; Apple is just the most egregious offender there.