Epic deposition shows how differently Google and Apple treat messaging

(credit: Aurich Lawson)

A new deposition (first spotted by The Verge) in the Epic Games v. Apple case reveals Apple's inner deliberations over possibly bringing iMessage to Android, including worries from Apple executives that if Google bought WhatsApp, the search giant could win the messaging wars.

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View more storiesOnce upon a time, Google was facing a major messaging decision as it was considering buying WhatsApp. The rumors first started in April 2013, when Digital Trends reported that Google was negotiating a $1 billion buyout of the company. WhatsApp officially shot the rumor down just a few days later, but between the start and end of this rumor, Apple's executives started talking.

Eddy Cue, Apple's SVP of Internet Software and Services, started making the case that the company should fight Google+WhatsApp with iMessage on Android, writing in an email, "We really need to bring iMessage to Android. I have had a couple of people investigating this but we should go full speed and make this an official project."

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