Nothing is rolling out iMessage for its Android phones

Nothing Phone 2 users are now able to send iMessages to iPhones, marking the first integration of its kind by an Android OEM.

The company has unveiled a new "Nothing Chats" app, powered by the Sunbird messaging platform, which provides this feature. Starting from November 17th, users in North America, the EU, and other European countries can enjoy the convenience of sending iMessages to iPhones via their Android device.

This move aims to bridge the gap, allowing users to communicate seamlessly across different platforms.

However, it relies on the user's trust in Sunbird. While Nothing assures users that messages are not stored on Sunbird's servers, the service requires access to iCloud accounts. It's worth reading Sunbird's privacy policy and being highly skeptical of it.

Initial tests of Nothing Chats show that the service works for the most part, although some advanced iMessage features may be unavailable, like the ability to edit messages, and Tapback reactions. Group iMessages require all participants to use iMessage. Future updates plan to include read receipts and message reactions.

Whether Apple will respond to this feature, either legally or technically, remains to be seen, as the EU is currently investigating iMessage's status as an Apple "core platform service."