Apple launched a website to walk users through deregistering their number from the proprietary messaging service iMessages. This answers a long standing problem where the owner of a phone number has either lost access to the iDevice or switched to a new mobile platform.
Debuting in 2011, iMessages is one of those proprietary messaging services that works well for sending messages to other similar devices. Unlike Google’s Hangouts and Blackberry’s BBM, iMessages only works on iDevices, both offer access through third party apps on other platforms.
If someone transfers their SIM card to another device or moves on to a different platform, the number is still attached to the iMessages account. This means that a text sent from an iDevice to the number of a former iDevice will have the text hijacked and displayed through iMessages, which they are unable to view.
