IMessage
A thread of conversation in the Messages application on macOS Sonoma | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Instant messaging |
| Launch date | October 12, 2011 |
| Platform(s) | iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, Apple Vision Pro |
| Operating system(s) | iOS 5 and later, iPadOS, OS X Mountain Lion and later, watchOS and visionOS |
| Status | Active |
| Website | support |
iMessage is an instant messaging service developed by Apple Inc. and launched in 2011. iMessage functions exclusively on Apple platforms – including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS – as part of Apple's approach to inter-device integration, which has been described by media outlets as a means of achieving vendor lock-in. iMessage is accessed and used using the Messages app client.
Core features of iMessage, available on all supported platforms, include sending text messages, images, videos, and documents; getting delivery and read statuses (read receipts); and end-to-end encryption so only the sender and recipient can read the messages, and no one else; even Apple itself cannot read them. The service also allows sending location data and stickers. On iOS and iPadOS, third-party developers can extend iMessage capabilities with custom extensions, an example being quick sharing of recently played songs.
Launched on iOS in 2011, iMessage arrived on macOS (then called OS X) in 2012. In 2020, Apple announced an entirely redesigned version of the macOS Messages app which adds some of the features previously unavailable on the Mac, including location sharing and message effects.