[mock-possum]

Is iMessage really that big a deal to people, for privacy / security particularly?

Practically speaking I can’t even tell the difference, apart from text messages sometimes failing to send, and getting the option to retry as SMS.

If I want something private / secure, I use Signal.

[rchaud]

Only in the US, where Apple has an AOL-like lock-in. The market share for iOS in Canada is similarly large but there is no iMessage lock-in here as Canada had Blackberry Messenger (also a lock-in app) way before iMessage, and shifted to FB Messenger and Whatsapp once BBM faded. Nowadays most people have both apps installed, and what you use depends on where the group chat was started.

[jandrewrogers]

Yes, people use iMessage to securely share/collaborate on many objects in iOS, like a shared Apple Note. It is used for much more than just sending text messages back and forth.

I use Signal but it leaves much to be desired relative to iMessage for a lot of uses.

[Barbing]

Folks do like renaming group chats, typing indicators, perhaps scheduled send (though too new to say without asking around).

And it feels a little better, personally, sending an innocuous iMessage—even though I won't get in trouble if a stingray happens to pick up “gm” “Happy birthday!” “Kevin forgot the biscuits again!” over SMS.

Self-destructing Signal for the most personal messages for sure. But SMS just feels dirty. Too exposed even if I’d shout the same message contents in a public square.