Nothing’s iMessage solution removed from Play Store as Apple warms up to RCS

Nothing was recently in the spotlight for developing its own app that could finally bring iMessage support to Android phones, well, at least one Android phone – the Nothing Phone (2). This was set to happen via a new Nothing Chats app that Nothing had been working on. However, days after the service went live, the Nothing Chats app has been removed from the Google Play Store than a week after its launch.

The reason? Some very understandable security concerns on Google’s part. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re a Nothing Phone user looking forward to texting your friends with iPhones.

What is Nothing Chats?

Nothing Chats is an app that is being developed by Nothing. It uses tech from Sunbird, a third-party service provider, to bring iMessage functionality to Nothing smartphones. We have done a detailed piece on how the Nothing Chats app actually works, but to cut the long story short, the app uses Sunbird’s remote servers/machines to basically link your Apple ID to a remote Apple machine, which allows you to use iMessage.

The app was set to become a good solution for Nothing Phone (2) users looking to text iPhone users without third-party apps like WhatsApp, and without compromises like image compression and simply lack of other texting features.

Why the app was removed from the Google Play Store

Nothing recently confirmed that the app has been indefinitely taken down from the Play Store over “several bugs” that the company is currently working on with Sunbird to fix. A Fonearena report mentions security issues like sending important credentials over unencrypted HTTP channels to be the problem.

The move to pull down the app isn’t exactly surprising to those who’ve been following tech for a while. This is because platforms that use third-party services to help with data-syncing, credential management and other privacy-heavy elements have had a tough time staying on the Play Store and App Store. Until security measures by the third-party services in question are not detailed (to prevent mishaps like data breaches), Apple and Google are likely to pull down an app rather than risk the privacy of its users.

Why this may not be a big deal for Android users

While it may feel like the only legitimate way to text Apple iPhone users from an Android phone compromise-free is now in jeopardy, this actually is not the case. This isn’t because there are other brands or developers bringing iMessage-compliant alternatives. Instead, Apple has finally agreed to implement RCS into iMessage, which would negate some of the biggest problems between Android-to-iOS cross-platform messaging.

ALSO READ: Apple to bring in RCS messages for iPhones in 2024

With RCS support, Android users will be able to send high-res images and other media, or use stickers, or even react to messages when communicating with iPhones, something they could previously only do when texting another Android phone. While the green bubble of Androids is likely to stay, the move will at least give the features Android users features deserve while texting iPhones.