Thanks. That helps a lot. I never knew that iMessages was integrated with sms, just thought it existed as a internet protocol like many other proprietary ones.

Basically it's all the same usual problem of using a closed proprietary chat protocol that a single stake holder has the power to change however and whenever they want.

Like whatsap, facebook and others which any alternative has to keep catching up to the changes that the companies do and which is very hard to maintain the reverse engineered protocols.

It never crossed my mind that I don't usually see alternative clients for imessage, but makes sense, didn't think it would be so hard to do.

So these guys came up with a implementation that works and apple just wants to crush them to destroy any alternatives. Business as usual.

It's hard to understand these news when all the lingo used implies you already know the thing being talked about. An article talking about "Blue bubbles" makes no sense whatsoever to anyone not used to apple ecosystem.