[pbreit]

I've always been surprised something like this never really got going. I think the issue here is that it needs to be on message platforms that people actually use (iMessage, WhatsApp, Gchat, etc). Is it really not possible to hook in to those platforms?

[ryukafalz]

The moment you hook into those systems, you're segmenting your userbase. If you rely on iMessage for transport, you can only talk to Apple users. The situation is similar with Hangouts and WhatsApp - while you're not limited to one device manufacturer, there's no official API, and any attempt to do so is a hack that could break at any time with no warning.

Telegram is slightly better in that it at least has a client API, but you're still locked to a single provider (the official Telegram server).

[pbreit]

And that provider is a tiny fraction the size of iMessage, GChat, WhatsApp, et al.

[asddubs]

telegram is getting pretty popular around here. To the point where people you meet ask you for your telegram without explaining what telegram is

[_jomo]

Me and 2 friends decided to get rid of WhatsApp. We told our friends to get Telegram and left the group chats altogether. They joined Telegram that same day.

I guess it's not that simple when you're alone, but getting people to switch with a few people is fairly simple.