Had Apple pulled Sunbird’s access to iMessage before information about their shoddy security coming out via third-party, they would have run the risk of playing into Google’s narrative about Apple being petty about their closed standard.
Here’s what I think (and hope) will happen:
* Apple will revoke Sunbird’s access and/or will sue them; they can almost certainly detect them via fingerprinting and other techniques
* Apple will take steps to further protect the iMessage standard
The interesting thing here is that Sunbird’s marketing and PR execution, at a casual glance, appear to be as impressive as their engineering implementation dismal, thereby suggesting the usefulness of cautious maneuvering by Apple.
Google Cloud would ideally have a role in protecting users here, too; ie blocking Sunbird from its platform on account of exposing users to such formidable risk while so blatantly misrepresenting their security posture. Apple could implore Google to consider, which could look good for GCP; while extending a mutual commitment to implementing RCS together in the interest of users at a moment when skepticism of large tech is at an all-time high.