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Brilliant move. The transition of the major social networks over the last 10-15 years -- from being a space for friends to interact to being a space to consume

Brilliant move. The transition of the major social networks over the last 10-15 years -- from being a space for friends to interact to being a space to consume content produced by "unconnected" entities like influencers -- has created a huge opening for someone to claim the friends and family network. There is no one better positioned (at least in the U.S. where iPhones are the majority handset) than Apple.

aaronblohowiak 2y ago
Group texts and shared albums (iPhoto or Google photo if you have androids in the mix) are most of my social interaction already..
- mikepurvis 2y ago
  This is what it's been for me as well, for several years— all meaningful friend-group interactions are now taking place in group chats, sadly this is entirely in Whatsapp and FB Messenger for me; would love if there was a reasonable migration path to getting these interactions entirely off of Meta properties.
  - aaronblohowiak 2y ago
    Group text works cross platform now.. some friend groups are on discord
RIMR 2y ago
The problem is that by vendor-locking these services to Apple users, they create an environment that alienates non-Apple users. If they want to truly claim the friends & family network, they need to remember that everyone has friends & family that aren't in the Apple ecosystem. So long as Facebook remains available to everyone, even if the content feed is a mess, the event planning space is going to be more accessible to everyone and will end up being the defacto friends & family ecosystem. I'm not an iCloud+ member, so I can't go in an look for myself, but ideally this would be just a fancy way of extending your iCloud Calendar invites where Gmail, Outlook, etc. users can still create events and invite people in roughly the same way. If as a Linux & Android user I am only able to RSVP to Apple users' invites, but I am never able to invite them to anything myself, then I literally cannot embrace this product without investing considerable money into their hardware, which I am not going to do. Hell, if they featureset was compelling enough, and they had an iCloud app for non-Apple hardware platforms, I might actually consider being an iCloud+ member, but I guess it's not worth it to Apple to collect a monthly payment from me if I won't make the downpayment on an iPhone and a Macbook...
- blueelephanttea 2y ago
  > Hell, if they featureset was compelling enough, and they had an iCloud app for non-Apple hardware platforms, I might actually consider being an iCloud+ member, but I guess it's not worth it to Apple to collect a monthly payment from me if I won't make the downpayment on an iPhone and a Macbook... You can create events from the web iCloud interface without an Apple device.
- mewse-hn 2y ago
  > So long as Facebook remains available to everyone, even if the content feed is a mess, the event planning space is going to be more accessible to everyone and will end up being the defacto friends & family ecosystem. For now. We're in the process of seeing Twitter die like every other social network has died before it, Facebook will have it's time as well.
  - RIMR 2y ago
    Undoubtedly. I agree 100%. I still think that Apple needs to consider how accessible Facebook is/was if they want to produce a product capable of replacing any part of it.
- dialup_sounds 2y ago
  I'm not convinced they're leaving a lot of money on the table by pitching a free app at a billion iPhone users vs. the famously lucrative Linux desktop market.
- Workaccount2 2y ago
  >If they want to truly claim the friends & family network, they need to remember that everyone has friends & family that aren't in the Apple ecosystem. They are completely aware of it an actively leverage it to use your friends and family against you to force you into Apple's ecosystem. It's the main reason why Android will have to get pretty bad before I bend to such incredibly dirty tactics.
- ninkendo 2y ago
  > So long as Facebook remains available to everyone This is not a given even today. Creating a new Facebook account involves a ton of scrutiny, you need to upload an ID, and until your account is older and established it’s likely that anything you do can get auto-scanned by some spam bot and get you banned for using some keyword, even in private chats. I don’t have a Facebook account but I needed to create one a few years back to use my oculus quest (this is before they finally came to their senses and separated the accounts) and I had a lot of trouble convincing FB that I was a real human.
distantsounds 2y ago
Brilliant? Launching an app for creating events that requires you to 1) own an iDevice and 2) pay into, just to create events? I'll send an email for free, thankyouverymuch.
- sylens 2y ago
  While I agree with your points in principle, the paywall may act as a way for them to handle spam/misuse more effectively
- stronglikedan 2y ago
  This obviously offers more than just sending an email. And since the majority of Apple users aren't very tech savvy, I can see this catching on quickly.
- blueelephanttea 2y ago
  > 1) own an iDevice You do not need to own an Apple device to either create events or join events. > I'll send an email for free, thankyouverymuch. This seems fine! There are open protocols (email, ics) if they work for you, but Apple specifically developed this in a way to neither require an Apple device or Apple Account to interact. Which is better than some of the competitors! (Facebook and Google tend to create social tools which explicitly require everyone to have accounts.)
  - pphysch 2y ago
    The first line of their press release: > Apple today introduced Apple Invites, a new app for iPhone If Android users have to login to a website to use this, what's the appeal? There are hundreds of simple meeting/event webapps out there, many not even requiring authentication.
    - blueelephanttea 2y ago
      > If Android users have to login to a website to use this, what's the appeal? I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to use this. It just was pointing out you don't need Apple accounts or devices to participate opposed to something like Facebook events. > There are hundreds of simple meeting/event webapps out there Okay? Go crazy using those! But don't claim that this requires an Apple device to create or join events (like the OP I was responding to). And don't claim that this requires an Apple Account to join events (like many other commentators are).
pkamb 2y ago
I think Apple already has claimed the "friends and family network" via iMessage. Did Facebook go to a groups/influencer algorithm by choice or is it the result of IRL friend posters all moving to private chats once everyone got iPhones?
- john2x 2y ago
  I'm still waiting for iMessage to work with Android phones.
  - thesuitonym 2y ago
    iMessage has been compatible with RCS for months now.
    - 42772827 2y ago
      Except if you’re on Google Fi, right? https://isgooglefircsyet.com/ https://isgooglefircsyet.com/
      - whimsicalism 2y ago
        yeah and that is apple's fault, they need to carrier enable
        deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
      - ninkendo 2y ago
        That is ironic, given how the whole push to get Apple to support RCS came from google in the first place. They had that website with the open letter to try and tell Apple that supporting RCS was in everyone’s best interest and would enable Apple and Android users to be on even footing, etc etc. But then oops, turns out Google’s on wireless service doesn’t even support it. Maybe google didn’t think Apple would call their bluff?
cma 2y ago
Apple and Meta's wet dream is exclusionary friends and family networks tied to their future AR hardware. Half the people at the Christmas party pointing and zooming around an AR globe to talk about their travels and the other half with the wrong brand not able to see anything. Maybe they just place the virtual globe on top of one of them and completely block them out to get more space since they aren't seeming relevant.
squigz 2y ago
What happens in 10-15 years more, I wonder? Will Apple stay the respectable, trustworthy company they are today?
nathancahill 2y ago
I'd argue WhatsApp is better positioned (globally).
- 0x6c6f6c 2y ago
  WhatsApp being owned by Meta likely detracts from this though.

aaronblohowiak 2y ago

Group texts and shared albums (iPhoto or Google photo if you have androids in the mix) are most of my social interaction already..

mikepurvis 2y ago
This is what it's been for me as well, for several years— all meaningful friend-group interactions are now taking place in group chats, sadly this is entirely in Whatsapp and FB Messenger for me; would love if there was a reasonable migration path to getting these interactions entirely off of Meta properties.
- aaronblohowiak 2y ago
  Group text works cross platform now.. some friend groups are on discord

RIMR 2y ago

The problem is that by vendor-locking these services to Apple users, they create an environment that alienates non-Apple users. If they want to truly claim the friends & family network, they need to remember that everyone has friends & family that aren't in the Apple ecosystem. So long as Facebook remains available to everyone, even if the content feed is a mess, the event planning space is going to be more accessible to everyone and will end up being the defacto friends & family ecosystem. I'm not an iCloud+ member, so I can't go in an look for myself, but ideally this would be just a fancy way of extending your iCloud Calendar invites where Gmail, Outlook, etc. users can still create events and invite people in roughly the same way. If as a Linux & Android user I am only able to RSVP to Apple users' invites, but I am never able to invite them to anything myself, then I literally cannot embrace this product without investing considerable money into their hardware, which I am not going to do. Hell, if they featureset was compelling enough, and they had an iCloud app for non-Apple hardware platforms, I might actually consider being an iCloud+ member, but I guess it's not worth it to Apple to collect a monthly payment from me if I won't make the downpayment on an iPhone and a Macbook...

blueelephanttea 2y ago
> Hell, if they featureset was compelling enough, and they had an iCloud app for non-Apple hardware platforms, I might actually consider being an iCloud+ member, but I guess it's not worth it to Apple to collect a monthly payment from me if I won't make the downpayment on an iPhone and a Macbook... You can create events from the web iCloud interface without an Apple device.
mewse-hn 2y ago
> So long as Facebook remains available to everyone, even if the content feed is a mess, the event planning space is going to be more accessible to everyone and will end up being the defacto friends & family ecosystem. For now. We're in the process of seeing Twitter die like every other social network has died before it, Facebook will have it's time as well.
- RIMR 2y ago
  Undoubtedly. I agree 100%. I still think that Apple needs to consider how accessible Facebook is/was if they want to produce a product capable of replacing any part of it.
dialup_sounds 2y ago
I'm not convinced they're leaving a lot of money on the table by pitching a free app at a billion iPhone users vs. the famously lucrative Linux desktop market.
Workaccount2 2y ago
>If they want to truly claim the friends & family network, they need to remember that everyone has friends & family that aren't in the Apple ecosystem. They are completely aware of it an actively leverage it to use your friends and family against you to force you into Apple's ecosystem. It's the main reason why Android will have to get pretty bad before I bend to such incredibly dirty tactics.
ninkendo 2y ago
> So long as Facebook remains available to everyone This is not a given even today. Creating a new Facebook account involves a ton of scrutiny, you need to upload an ID, and until your account is older and established it’s likely that anything you do can get auto-scanned by some spam bot and get you banned for using some keyword, even in private chats. I don’t have a Facebook account but I needed to create one a few years back to use my oculus quest (this is before they finally came to their senses and separated the accounts) and I had a lot of trouble convincing FB that I was a real human.

distantsounds 2y ago

Brilliant? Launching an app for creating events that requires you to 1) own an iDevice and 2) pay into, just to create events? I'll send an email for free, thankyouverymuch.

sylens 2y ago
While I agree with your points in principle, the paywall may act as a way for them to handle spam/misuse more effectively
stronglikedan 2y ago
This obviously offers more than just sending an email. And since the majority of Apple users aren't very tech savvy, I can see this catching on quickly.
blueelephanttea 2y ago
> 1) own an iDevice You do not need to own an Apple device to either create events or join events. > I'll send an email for free, thankyouverymuch. This seems fine! There are open protocols (email, ics) if they work for you, but Apple specifically developed this in a way to neither require an Apple device or Apple Account to interact. Which is better than some of the competitors! (Facebook and Google tend to create social tools which explicitly require everyone to have accounts.)
- pphysch 2y ago
  The first line of their press release: > Apple today introduced Apple Invites, a new app for iPhone If Android users have to login to a website to use this, what's the appeal? There are hundreds of simple meeting/event webapps out there, many not even requiring authentication.
  - blueelephanttea 2y ago
    > If Android users have to login to a website to use this, what's the appeal? I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to use this. It just was pointing out you don't need Apple accounts or devices to participate opposed to something like Facebook events. > There are hundreds of simple meeting/event webapps out there Okay? Go crazy using those! But don't claim that this requires an Apple device to create or join events (like the OP I was responding to). And don't claim that this requires an Apple Account to join events (like many other commentators are).

pkamb 2y ago

I think Apple already has claimed the "friends and family network" via iMessage. Did Facebook go to a groups/influencer algorithm by choice or is it the result of IRL friend posters all moving to private chats once everyone got iPhones?

john2x 2y ago
I'm still waiting for iMessage to work with Android phones.
- thesuitonym 2y ago
  iMessage has been compatible with RCS for months now.
  - 42772827 2y ago
    Except if you’re on Google Fi, right? https://isgooglefircsyet.com/ https://isgooglefircsyet.com/
    - whimsicalism 2y ago
      yeah and that is apple's fault, they need to carrier enable
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
    - ninkendo 2y ago
      That is ironic, given how the whole push to get Apple to support RCS came from google in the first place. They had that website with the open letter to try and tell Apple that supporting RCS was in everyone’s best interest and would enable Apple and Android users to be on even footing, etc etc. But then oops, turns out Google’s on wireless service doesn’t even support it. Maybe google didn’t think Apple would call their bluff?

cma 2y ago

Apple and Meta's wet dream is exclusionary friends and family networks tied to their future AR hardware. Half the people at the Christmas party pointing and zooming around an AR globe to talk about their travels and the other half with the wrong brand not able to see anything. Maybe they just place the virtual globe on top of one of them and completely block them out to get more space since they aren't seeming relevant.

squigz 2y ago

What happens in 10-15 years more, I wonder? Will Apple stay the respectable, trustworthy company they are today?

nathancahill 2y ago

I'd argue WhatsApp is better positioned (globally).

0x6c6f6c 2y ago
WhatsApp being owned by Meta likely detracts from this though.