> IMO we need something simpler, websocket and JSON based.

Why JSON? JSON is the packaging format of this decade but remember when XMPP was conceived XML was the packaging format of that decade.

Maybe CBOR would be more appropriate. No need to encode binary data (signatures, encryption) in base64 wrappers and more efficient encoding of frequently used stuff (no need for Whatsapp-stype FunXMPP).