Justin Bieber Slams Apple’s iMessage UX, Jokes He’ll “Choke-Hold” the Company
Overview
Pop icon Justin Bieber has turned heads — again — but this time not for new music. He took to social media to vent his frustration with a design quirk in Apple’s Messages (iMessage) app, calling out what he perceives as a flawed user-experience design.
Bieber’s post highlighted the recurring annoyance: every time he sends a text, the dictation (microphone) button reappears — and sometimes gets tapped by mistake, stopping his music playback mid-song.
What followed was a dramatic, tongue-in-cheek warning: if it happens again, he claims he’ll “find everyone at Apple and put them in a rear naked choke hold.” Wccftech+2The Mac Observer+2
What’s the Problem — According to Bieber
- In the Messages app, the bottom-right icon switches between a microphone (for dictation/voice notes) and the Send button depending on context. Wccftech+1
- After sending a text, the microphone returns — and Bieber says he often taps it accidentally, triggering dictation or voice-note mode. That causes a brief “beep” and pauses his music, which can be frustrating. Wccftech+2AppleInsider+2
- Disabling dictation doesn’t fully solve the problem. Even then, the mic icon remains — now as a voice-note control — and the risk of accidental taps stays. AppleInsider+2Financial Express+2
Put simply: having both “Send” and “Microphone/Voice-Note” functionality in the same spot seems to make mis-taps almost unavoidable, breaking the flow of texting and music listening.
Why It Resonates
Although Bieber uses exaggerated, humorous language, his complaint taps into a broader user frustration. Many iPhone users reportedly experience the same problem — accidentally pausing music or triggering unintended voice notes while typing. The Mac Observer+2Indiatimes+2
From a design standpoint, stacking multiple functions in one small area — especially one that users rely on constantly — can easily produce friction. As some critics argue, it’s a small detail, but the cumulative annoyance adds up over time. Wccftech+1
Bieber’s post also gained attention from tech insiders; for example, Ian Silber — head of product design at OpenAI — jokingly invited him to sit in on their design reviews. Moneycontrol+1
What Could Apple Do?
Here are some possible design improvements that might address the issue:
- Separate the “Send” and “Microphone/Dictation” buttons so they don’t share the same space.
- Offer a setting to completely disable voice-note/dictation controls in the keyboard/message interface.
- Relocate audio controls to a less “tap-prone” part of the interface (e.g. inside a menu rather than right next to Send).
A change like this might help avoid unintentional taps and make texting + music listening a smoother experience — something users clearly want. The Mac Observer+2Financial Express+2
