Google: Apple must finally support the RCS standard

On a new website, Google is asking Apple to finally support RCS. The integration of the SMS successor offers a lot of advantages. In addition, possible bullying of Android users could also be prevented.

On the website “Get the message” Google is asking Apple to finally support RCS. Rich Communication Service (RCS) is the successor to SMS and MMS on Android and basically works the same as iMessage on iOS. The problem is that these two systems are not compatible with each other. If an Android user joins an iMessage conversation or, conversely, an iPhone owner joins an RCS conversation, both operating systems are forced to switch back to the old SMS/MMS standard.

Users lose many advantages in communication

As Google writes on the website, users lose many advantages of RCS or iMessage due to the fallback to SMS/MMS communication. When an Android user communicates with an iPhone owner, there are no read receipts, messages are not encrypted, the maximum length of text messages is reduced, the quality of sending pictures deteriorates, and messages cannot be sent over WiFi.

Apple is unlikely to open iMessage to Android users. However, the company could at least support the current RCS standard, Google demands. Google has even integrated a special button on the website with which users are supposed to persuade Apple to introduce RCS. If you press the button, Twitter opens with a ready-made tweet. It says: “.@Applestop breaking my texting experience. #GetTheMessage”. It remains to be seen whether the action will have an effect.

The thing with the green chat bubbles and bullying

Noisy phone arena However, users not only miss out on the benefits of texting when they fall back on it, it can even lead to bullying, especially among young people. And that’s for the following reason: when iPhone users write to each other in iMessage, the chat bubbles are blue. However, if an Android user joins the conversation, the color changes to green. This color change can make an Android user a target for insults and bullying.

As Phonearena reports, young people in particular, who are revealed as Android users by the color change, get comments like “Can’t you afford an iPhone?” listen. This makes them feel inferior or pushes them to buy an iPhone too. Phonearena refers here specifically to observations in the United States. It is not known whether there is also bullying among young people in Germany.

However, this problem could also be solved with the integration of RCS. Then it would not be immediately apparent whether a chat participant is using an Android smartphone or an iPhone.