In the era of WeChat social networking in the Chinese market, Apple has also launched a big move called "iMessage", using very innovative gameplay to further enhance its social nature. However, after the release of Apple iPhone7 and iPhone7 Plus, more attention seemed to be focused only on the hardware and appearance of the phone’s dual camera, phone color (gloss black, matte black), etc., which had already been released at WWDC with iOS10 The big iMessage trick that appeared seems to have been forgotten in the corner. Now that the real iPhone 7 has arrived and the official version of iOS 10 has arrived, have you used iMessage?
Nowadays, do you still remember the little excitement of using iMessage to send text messages when you first came into contact with the iPhone? In addition to being free, it is also very novel. After the rapid development of the Internet environment, Apple has finally expanded the excitement provided by iMessage and directly added a new ecosystem based on the original one. More novel gameplay has even begun to be created with the help of developers, creativity There is no limit to how you can play with iMessage.
Have you noticed the new features of iMessage?
(Note: The blue bubbles in the following are sent by iMessage, and the green bubbles are sent by SMS/MMS. If the network environment is not good, iMessage will automatically convert to SMS/MMS. You can identify it by the bubble color or "iMessage" when using it. Confirm. In addition, there will be prompts in the send bar and arrow icon. However, the two sending methods are only connected to the network, and there is no difference in the user experience when it comes to specific functions.)
There is no more information about the basic functions designed by Apple for iMessage. Having said that, text, pictures, videos and gesture animations can already provide a very rich playability, especially the cool effects of gesture animations are impressive. Please refer to the picture below to experience how to use some of the functions -
∷ An awkward conversation between a contemporary rich man with a luxurious house [User A] and an artistic young man [User B]
The bubble and screen effects when sending iMessage are quite special and authentic Very vivid
Users can dislike, like, and marvel at the iMessage pictures sent by their friends.
However, the feedback of "expressing wonder at an object" received by the other party after the operation is a bit cold...
On the contrary, it is from the like side. The effect is better (Picture 1, 2)
When "marking" the picture, the manual animation will have correction options to choose from (❤)
The special effects of the gesture animation are obviously more impactful. The beating red heart is very powerful.
received "Comparison of feelings" and animated feedback
You can also shoot videos directly in iMessage, and even directly edit
◆ Apple has built a mini social ecosystem for iMessage
The core innovation of iMessage this time is that its functions are greatly Expanded to cater to the social attributes of the current Internet era, it has been greatly enhanced. In addition to the above basic function upgrades, the more powerful option is the "Store" option. Apple has opened a dedicated app store for iMessage. Almost as long as developers are willing, their apps can be logged into the iMessage app store.
Apple has opened a dedicated app store for iMessage
In fact, as far as the current situation is concerned, there are already many original App Store apps that support iMessage. You can directly call an app when chatting with friends to form a group to watch movies or make reservations. You can go to a restaurant soon, or even play games in iMessage. However, not all apps that support iMessage can run independently outside of iMessage. For example, you will find that some apps in the App Store are marked "only for iMessage" , it can be seen that the treatment provided by Apple for iMessage is obviously high enough.
You can play games or share good music with friends directly in iMessage. Most of the current games are in English and are relatively simple.
Some applications in the App Store are marked "only applicable to iMessage"
→ The process of forming a group to watch movies in iMessage It's like this:)
Select the movie you want to watch and send it to your friends for invitation
After joining the movie, "x people have replied" will be displayed
Apple Pay is also connected here. Old iPhones that do not support Apple Pay can be used in the app Pay
As for the applications that cannot be used independently outside of iMessage, they tend to be emoticon-based. Speaking of this, you may think of WeChat emoticons. Yes, they have similar meanings. At this time, you can let your favorite Lu Han occupy an emoticon page in iMessage.
Now your favorite Lu Han can fill up an emoticon page in iMessage
◆ Use iMessage to activate and promote the activity index of the entire iOS ecosystem
You will find that with iMessage’s highly playable social attribute, you can You log in to the "App Drawer" very frequently, which helps increase the popularity of Apple's App Store. This is why Cook was still able to say "I have never been more optimistic than now" after Apple faced a decline in iPhone sales. There is still huge energy waiting to be tapped in Apple's software ecosystem. Relying on the "law" that 30% of developers' application profits are delivered to Apple, it is obviously a clever move for Apple to keep the App Store highly active in various ways, and iMessage is also an important chess piece behind it.
Apple’s ecology doesn’t stop there. Various content platforms are also its main focus. For example, you can share music with friends in iMessage, which in turn activates the Apple Music app; when you need to pay for a movie reservation, you can associate Apple Pay to promote its development. I believe everyone can feel the connotation of point-to-point. If iMessage can be successful, its contribution to the entire Apple ecosystem will be huge.
◆ Are Apple’s iMessage and WeChat rivals?
When it comes to social networking, the first thing that domestic users think of is WeChat. Not long ago, WeChat has released the " WeChat mini program ", and the creation of an ecosystem based on WeChat has begun to take practical action. Apple’s iMessage has become a major competitor to WeChat.
In fact, the relationship between the two is somewhat complicated. Apple's ecosystem has made WeChat possible to a certain extent, but it also has restrictions on WeChat. For example, it is said that the reason why WeChat mini programs are not called "application accounts" is because Apple does not allow them. However, WeChat does not only exist in the Apple iOS ecosystem. Google Android and other ecosystems are also the soil that nurtures WeChat.
Geographically speaking, the domestic market is a concentration camp for WeChat, and Apple’s iMessage may not be so easy to break through the fortress established by WeChat in the domestic market where WeChat is dominant (after all, not everyone has an iPhone, and WeChat has already established a huge user group) , but able to quickly penetrate the global market wherever the iPhone goes.
If you are used to WeChat, and suddenly such a new iMessage appears, will you be willing to be distracted by iMessage again? Of course, it’s understandable if you say you don’t want to. After all, iMessage doesn’t have a “circle of friends” where you can show off your car, show off your baby and travel around the world (what else? Please remind me)…
