No one should have to.

It's ridiculous how far we've allowed this vendor lock in shit to get. Apple and Google should both be hit over the head repeatedly until they open the messaging up.

SMS had many issues but the ease with which one person could reach another was a genuine benefit for communication. And we've let these companies take us away from that. It's absolute bullshit.

In Europe, SMS has been dead for at least a decade. It was so strange for me to find out other parts of the world still use it to text each other

I don't txt anyone, Signal for about 80%, 20% Telegram. I do receive a few SMS for 2FA , that's it. My mother and sister use Signal on their iphones and tablets to message me as an example. I use Android. I'm in Australia though.