Trillian vs iMessage

May 17, 2023 | Author: Adam Levine
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Trillian
Trillian is modern and secure instant messaging for people, business and healthcare
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iMessage
iMessage lets you send messages back and forth with anyone on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or a Mac. If you’re a texter, you’ll love Messages on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Now they all come with iMessage, a service that’s an even better kind of texting. Because it’s free for you and anyone texting over Wi-Fi using an iOS device or Mac with iMessage.
Trillian and iMessage are two messaging platforms that offer distinct experiences for users. Trillian is a multi-protocol messaging client that supports various messaging services, including AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, and more. It acts as a centralized interface, allowing users to manage multiple accounts and communicate across different networks within one application. Trillian offers features like contact management, chat synchronization, and file transfers. On the other hand, iMessage is Apple's proprietary messaging service available exclusively on Apple devices. It integrates seamlessly with the Messages app and offers features like end-to-end encryption, read receipts, and multimedia sharing. iMessage also allows for seamless integration with other Apple services and devices. While Trillian provides a versatile solution for managing multiple messaging accounts, iMessage is favored by Apple users for its seamless integration and exclusive features within the Apple ecosystem.

See also: Top 10 Business Messaging platforms
Trillian vs iMessage in our news:

2020. Apple’s iMessage adds Slack-like mentions, pins, threads and more



Apple has recently announced that the upcoming version of iMessage will include support for various popular features commonly found in rival messaging applications such as Slack and Facebook's Messenger, among others. These enhancements encompass the addition of inline replies, pins, and mentions, along with updated customization options for group chats, expanded Memoji functionality, improved search capabilities, and more. The introduction of inline replies allows iMessage users participating in a group chat to respond to specific messages using threaded conversations, a feature commonly found in other leading messaging apps like Slack. Users have the flexibility to view the replies within the main conversation or as separate threads, depending on their preference.


2018. Apple Business Chat goes global



Earlier this year, Apple launched its iMessage-based communication platform called Apple Business Chat in the United States. Now, the service is expanding globally and is available in various countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Unlike typical bot-based messaging systems, Apple Business Chat offers a more convenient experience by allowing customers to engage with real people. Moreover, it provides users with greater control over the amount of information they choose to share with businesses. To ensure the functionality of Business Chat, Apple collaborates with customer service platforms such as LivePerson, Salesforce, Nuance, Genesys, InTheChat, and Zendesk. This partnership enhances the capabilities of the platform and enables seamless customer interactions.


2018. iMessage adds Google Search



Google Search is now accessible within iMessage. In an effort to enhance the integration of Google's search engine on iOS devices, the company has introduced an iMessage extension for its Search app on iOS. This extension enables iPhone and iPad users to perform web searches and seamlessly share the search results within their iMessage conversations. With the iMessage extension from Google, users can enter a query in the search box or choose from various search categories such as Weather, Food, Nearby (venues/businesses), Trending (news), or Videos. Each search result includes a "Share" button, which, upon selection, adds the corresponding item as a card directly into the ongoing iMessage conversation. When the recipient interacts with the card, they will be directed to the respective Google search result.


2017. Apple enters customer service arena with iOS Business Chat



Apple has introduced iOS Business Chat as a customer service solution within its Messages application. This feature allows businesses to engage with their customers through live chat within the iMessage ecosystem. With iOS Business Chat, businesses can connect with the vast user base of over 1 billion active Apple iOS device users across various Apple platforms, including Apple Maps, Siri, Search, and their own websites and apps. This chat-based customer service channel offers a range of functionalities, such as facilitating payments through Apple Pay and integrating with calendars for scheduling follow-up support sessions. Customers can seamlessly interact with businesses within the iOS messaging platform, enabling them to engage in chat conversations, make payments, share photos of damaged products, exchange videos, and even book flights while selecting their preferred seats.


2015. iMessage and FaceTime get two-factor authentication



Apple has implemented enhanced security measures for its communication tools, FaceTime and iMessage. These services now offer the option of two-factor authentication, providing an additional layer of protection for users. With this feature enabled, even if someone obtains a user's Apple ID email and password and attempts to activate iMessage or FaceTime on a new device, they will still require a PIN from a trusted device to gain access to these services. Users who have already enabled two-factor authentication for iCloud will automatically have it enabled for FaceTime and iMessage as well. This added security measure strengthens the safeguarding of potentially sensitive images within iMessage history and mitigates the risk of impersonation through online communication channels.


2008. Trillian adds Facebook, IRC support to Astra

Trillian, my preferred instant messaging (IM) application, has released a fresh build of its upcoming Astra product exclusively for alpha testers. The latest update introduces Facebook notifications and convenient shortcuts to access features like photo galleries and user profiles. However, one notable absence is Facebook's chat functionality, which many Trillian users have eagerly anticipated. In contrast, competing platform Digsby integrated Facebook chat back in May, shortly after its launch. Scott Werndorfer, Trillian's co-founder and head developer, explains that his team is awaiting proper integration with Facebook chat using XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), which may be announced at the upcoming F8 event. Initially promised for mid-May, developers have resorted to makeshift solutions that require browser usage, an inconvenience nobody desires in a desktop chat application. On a positive note, the new build introduces support for IRC (Internet Relay Chat), a valuable medium for live blogging and customer care chat in enterprise environments. Trillian offers comprehensive administrative controls and server browsing, along with the option to encrypt chat room content for sharing sensitive personal or business information—an advantage lacking in AIM and many other platforms. Currently, Trillian Astra is available only to private alpha testers who must sign up for the opportunity to try out the new version.


2007. Trillian for Macs Has Arrived

Trillian, the popular instant messaging client, has unveiled a new port of its software specifically designed for Mac OS X. The user interface has been completely redeveloped, ensuring a seamless integration with the Mac environment. While the underlying code for Trillian remains consistent across Windows, Flash, and iPhone platforms, providing a unified experience, the initial release of Trillian for Mac is somewhat streamlined compared to its Windows counterpart. However, all the familiar features will be gradually incorporated into the Mac version in the coming months. For more information, visit Cerulean Studios. In addition, Trillian has recently integrated web services into user profiles, bringing further enhancements to the IM client.


2007. Trillian Astra adds social networking to user profiles

If you're currently participating in the alpha testing phase of Trillian Astra, the latest update over the weekend brings a new and straightforward profile building tool. This tool allows you to include a variety of web services in your personal profile, such as Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, Last.fm, LinkedIn, and more. With a total of 13 services available, you can also quickly add links to your blog or personal website. Essentially, this feature creates an aesthetically pleasing collection of links to all your online identities and services, visible to others when they view your profile. While it's a promising step towards integrating with other web services, it remains to be seen if Trillian will follow in the footsteps of Flock, a competitor that has taken this concept even further in its latest release. This new addition also brings to mind AirTalkr, a similar service we reviewed recently, which goes beyond the user and actively searches for matches on various services using names and email addresses. It would be great if Trillian could incorporate a similar functionality. Trillian Astra is currently in private alpha, and there is no official release date yet. However, if you're a paying pro member of version 3, you can join the beta by signing up on the alpha sign-up page. In the meantime, since our last coverage, Trillian has introduced an auto-updater, a plugin for MySpace's IM protocol, and launched the iPhone and web versions of its client.


2007. Trillian Astra gets desktop widgets

In the latest version of the upcoming chat client Trillian Astra, Cerulean Studios has introduced desktop versions of its widgets, a feature that went almost unnoticed last week. Users now have the option to place widgets in their Trillian buddy list or directly on their desktop, similar to other desktop widget tools like the Yahoo Widget engine. The widgets can be easily sent between the buddy list and desktop through right-clicking or drag-and-drop functionality. Currently, there are only five sample widgets available, but if Cerulean Studios expands the options or adopts universal widget coding, Trillian users could have the advantage of having two applications in one, along with a wide range of desktop widgets. Customizing the widgets is a bit cumbersome at the moment, as configuration is done through a preferences menu instead of directly on the desktop. However, it is expected that this will be improved as the application nears its release. Some of the sample widgets, such as the weather widget, are visually appealing and fully animated, while the world-time widget displays the sunlight hitting the user's current location, offering a touch of nerd eye-candy. Like other widget tools, Astra provides a hotkey that allows users to access all running widgets simultaneously by pressing the Windows key and the space bar. Although it doesn't quite match the experience of OS X's Dashboard widget, it is a convenient feature. While it's advisable not to abandon your current widget engine just yet, considering that this is a brand-new feature in a private alpha application, it is exciting to anticipate whether this functionality will be integrated into the upcoming browser-free version of Trillian. For more visual insights into the new widget runtime environment, keep reading.


2006. Yahoo! MSN adds Mac IM interoperability

On Wednesday, Microsoft launched Messenger 6.0 for Mac, enabling Apple users to connect with Yahoo Messenger users through their instant messaging software. This feature was previously available for PC users in July but was absent for Mac users until now. The updated software also grants Microsoft IM users on Mac the ability to create personalized emoticons and share their currently playing iTunes song with their buddies. The software can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's Mac website. Additionally, it is worth noting that the interoperability features of Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger for PC, previously in beta, have been officially released to the public on the same day.

Author: Adam Levine
Adam is an expert in project management, collaboration and productivity technologies, team management, and motivation. With an extensive background working at prestigious companies such as Microsoft and Accenture, Adam's in-depth knowledge and experience in the field make him a sought-after professional. Currently, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a thriving consulting and training agency where he imparts invaluable insights and practical strategies to individuals and organizations, empowering them to achieve their goals and maximize their potential. You can contact Adam via email adam@liventerprise.com