This Is Going To Change The Way You Text
May 1, 2017
If you recently updated your iPhone to iOS10, you’ve probably noticed a series of unfamiliar updates that can either be annoying or helpful. A series of my qualms with the update stem from my usage of social media app, WhatsApp. While I won’t batter on the subject to much, it’s important to note the update does change the way we use certain apps. One of those being iMessage.
Over the past year or two, there has been an obvious transition from public to the private use of social media, the leader of the herd being Snapchat. Users simply don’t want to be as public with their lives and information as they once used to.
While some will argue messaging doesn’t fall into social media, I strongly beg to differ. Especially when we’re discussing iMessage post iOS10 update.
Amongst neat additions to the app like drawing and double tap graphics, you might have noticed its ability to seamlessly integrate with iOS apps; many of them giving you the ability to make your texts cute and fun. Or lack of a better word, less google.
Amongst these silly and daring little add-ons lie some real brands that we are all familiar with. For instance, Starbucks recently introduced an iMessage app, which essentially just lets you send stickers of their drinks. Nothing crazy here considering it’s basically the same thing as their emoji keyboard they introduced earlier this year. But again, it’s just another way for users to engage with the brand. Cuz people have nothing better to do but to be brand oriented.
One company I thought adapted fairly well to this upgrade was Airbnb. If you’re familiar with the Airbnb app for iPhone, or a number of other clunky apps, it’s quite frustrating when you have to leave the app just to share something, in this case, properties for rent. Thankfully enough, the app now easily integrates into iMessage, making the once bulky user experience that much smoother. Users can create group messages, and share listing amongst friends. ITS QUITE COOL.
This plops iMessage under the social media umbrella for a few reasons: It directly competes with all inclusive apps such as Facebook’s Messenger and the very powerful WeChat by offering a number of abilities other than word to word communication, and has ultimately made the app more expressive, which is the cornerstone of most social media platforms.
Apple could humbly move into this space due to its dedicated following and friendly intuitive experience. While it doesn’t possess the abilities or power to directly compete with those like Messenger and WeChat, yet, I believe the update has proven its on the right track to doing so.
I look forward to what others get added on…possibly Uber or Venmo 🙂