Installing an app isn't the problem. Getting everyone else to install the app is the problem (and their choice isn't "app or money", but "install app and switch everyone over or just exclude/mock the weirdo with the low-class phone"). If you're somewhere where everybody is on Whatsapp/Facebook/... it's similar struggle with people to switch to something else you prefer (e.g. for me iMessage never was topic because just not enough relevant people had iOS for them to build an expectation that everyone has it. But there was a phase where getting people to accept that not everybody has Facebook was kind of annoying)
And try as you might to get people to switch, the majority will inevitably revert back to iMessage. I really hope Apple is forced to interoperate with RCS and to make all the bubbles blue.
Yeah...facebook isn't dominant because it's the best platform, it's because moving away from it requires your entire circle to move away from it as well, otherwise you're just running two platforms side by side.
Google Plus was superior to facebook but never stood a chance.
Yeah that's like getting your entire family to switch over from facebook to something else less awful - good luck.
Oh, and then getting all of THEIR connections to also download another messaging app. And so forth.
And I think the price argument against iphones isn't valid any more. The 13 Pro Max is $100 less than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. You're paying a premium for the brand new flagship phones obviously, regardless of brand.
It is so baffling that downloading an app is where people draw the line and would prefer to spend hundreds of extra dollars instead.