Apple's worldwide developer conference (WWDC) is just around the corner, and, as is the case with all big events of this nature, the pre-show announcement rumors are arriving thick and fast - some more credible than others.
One claim that seems less likely to be true is that Apple will be revealing an Android version of iMessage next week. The rumor comes from MacDailyNews, which cited anonymous "sources familiar with the company's thinking."
Despite the questionable sources, the concept isn't beyond the realms of possibility. Rumors that Apple would bring the messaging service to its competitor's platform have circulated in the past, and it wouldn't be the first time that the company's software landed on another operating system.
It was last year's WWDC where the iPhone maker revealed that Apple Music would be arriving on Android. Moreover, iTunes has been supported on various versions of Windows for over a decade.
The popularity of Messaging services has reached the point where they're starting to surpass social media apps in terms of active monthly users. No longer just a way to communicate with friends and family, messengers are now truly multifunctional programs that are about to find even more uses as bots and digital assistants get integrated into their software.
There are already unofficial ways to run iMessage on Android, though they come with many caveats and aren't exactly practical.
We'll just have to wait until next week to find out if there's any truth to the rumor.