Bad news has come for iPhone users in the UK, after it was reported that Apple would immediately remove its 2 main features in that country, namely iMessage and FaceTime. The company disabled both services due to ongoing regulatory issues.
Apple is following in the footsteps of WhatsApp and Signal, by rejecting the newly enacted Online Security Bill. quoted The telephone from Gizmochina on Saturday (22/07/2023), the British Government is planning to introduce the Online Security Act.
The law will govern messaging services. In other words, the government can essentially monitor mobile users’ messages to detect CSAM or child sexual abuse material and other illegal content. The Online Security Bill also wants access to messages based on end-to-end encryption.
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The bill has come under fire from WhatsApp and Signal, which have also withdrawn their services from the country. Now, it seems that Apple as the iPhone developer will take the same step by withdrawing its iMessage and FaceTime services from the UK. Apple also refused to make any special changes due to the establishment of rules in the country.
If the bill goes into effect it will be the biggest threat to data security and privacy of UK citizens. Currently, the Online Security Bill is in an 8-week consultation period.
Tech companies like Apple hope the government will consider their feedback and revise the bill. Please note that iMessage is an instant messaging service developed by Apple Inc. and launched in 2011.
The iMessage app works exclusively on Apple platforms such as macOS, iOS, iPadOS and watchOS. This application continues to be developed by Apple with various interesting features.
The iMessage app gets some useful new features in the latest iOS 16 update and one of them is the Invisible Ink feature in iMessage. This feature allows recipients to see the message text only when they tap on it.
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Meanwhile, FaceTime is an application released in 2010, which makes it easy for Apple users to make audiovisual communication or video calls with other users. [NM/IF]
