Alphabet to Launch ‘Android Messages’ to Challenge iMessage, FB Messenger (GOOGL, FB)
You use it every day, probably multiple times a day. Only you know how many of the of the 200,000 iMessages sent per second are yours, but one thing is for sure, with its low latency and high response rates, messaging offers the fastest communications channel.
Consider that over 63 quadrillion iMessages are sent annually (yes, that is more than 200,000 iMessages per second). With this scale just on Apple (AAPL) alone, it is clear why messaging has captured the attention of major players. Facebook’s (FB) February 2014 $19bn acquisition of WhatsApp proves this point. But, with its Android operating system software powering more than 85% of smartphone handsets globally, one would have expected Alphabet (GOOGL) to be more of a dominant player in the messaging market. However, this has not been the case. Instead, each handset OEM opted to modify Android to its own purposes and thus undercut the opportunity to offer a common standard for messaging development and application.
But, Alphabet wants to change this… Read the full article in David’s investopedia column.