Google and Apple were not close friends at all, and in particular there were sharp differences between Android and iOS mobile operating systems. One of the ongoing controversies – or should we say arguments – revolve around messaging between the two platforms.
For Apple’s Messages service, iMessage ensures that messages from Android users are colored green. In addition, iMessage has many features that only work when you send things to or from Apple devices. This ensured that “blue bubbles” in iOS became almost a status symbol among young Americans – as previously reported.
Now Apple CEO Tim Cook has made it clear that he is not interested in improving the situation by putting in place the Remote Control System (RCS) (Rich communication services) in iMessage – a messaging standard that, according to the Android camp, will solve a number of problems. Including a significant loss of quality when sending photos or videos between iOS and Android.
During the Code 2022 conference in Beverly Hills, California, Cook could say that RCS wasn’t something they wanted to spend time or resources on.
His relatively obvious suggestion for a solution was that anyone who had a problem with this should buy an iPhone instead.
This tactic is neither new nor particularly surprising. The technology is there for Apple to use, but the problem with making iMessage fully RCS compatible is that it won’t sell more iPhones. Maybe the opposite.
Since the “blue bubbles” in iMessage are so important to many young people, this can create powerful incentives – or a kind of peer pressure – to get an iPhone just to “join”. Apple hopes this will contribute to better sales numbers.
For its part, Google believes that Apple discriminates against Android users because they would rather embrace their “legacy” technology than support RCS. That’s why they were created too separate site About this in the hope that Apple “understands” the message – that is, change its mind.
But it’s quite clear that Tim Cook and his cohorts have no plans to do so. From that edge, “blue bubbles” are probably needed everywhere.
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