If you use an iPhone, you already know how iMessage works, the default messaging app on Apple products. When communicating with another iPhone user on the app, chats appear in blue bubbles and users have access to advanced messaging features. On the other hand, if the iMessage user is chatting with an Android user, the messages are displayed in green bubbles. And no advanced features, since it’s simple, old-fashioned texting.

These colors inform the user about the type of messaging used. But apparently, in the United States, these have become a source of social pressure and some young people would feel obliged to belong to the club of blue bubbles (thus, iMessage users).

This phenomenon, along with Apple’s decision to restrict iMessage messaging to iPhone users, was documented in an article published by The Wall Street Journal earlier this year. After the publication of this article, Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president of Google, had reacted:

“Apple’s iMessage lock is a documented strategy. Using peer pressure and intimidation as a way to sell products is dishonest for a company that puts humanity and fairness at the heart of its marketing. Standards exist today to remedy this. »

Apple’s iMessage lock-in is a documented strategy. Using peer pressure and bullying as a way to sell products is disingenuous for a company that has humanity and equity as a core part of its marketing. The standards exist today to fix this. https://t.co/MiQqMUOrgn

— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) January 8, 2022

Since then, Google has been pressuring Apple to adopt RCS, the technology used by the Mountain View company to provide advanced messaging functions on the Android Message app. Unlike the iMessage protocol, RCS is not a proprietary technology and therefore nothing prevents Apple from supporting it (considered the successor to SMS) if it wanted to.

Apple’s RCS support would allow iMessage and Android Message users to communicate with advanced messaging features (like those found on other messaging services) instead of using traditional SMS . Google has even added end-to-end encryption, so that the contents of the messages cannot be read when they pass through the servers.

Tim Cook: “Buy your mom an iPhone”

Recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at the Code Conference, alongside Jony Ive and Laurene Powel Jobs. During a question and answer session, Apple’s refusal to adopt RCS technology, which would allow interoperability of iMessage and Android Message messaging, was mentioned.

“I don’t see our users asking us to put a lot of energy into it at this point. I’d love to convert you to the iPhone »said the CEO of the Cupertino company.

The questioner then brought up the fact that because his mother uses an Android smartphone, he cannot send her certain videos. Tim Cook’s response: “Buy your mom an iPhone. »

In essence, Apple assumes that iMessage is one of the elements with which they intend to differentiate the iPhone from competitors’ models.

For his part, Hiroshi Lockheimer has already reacted. “It’s clear why Apple opposes interoperability. But people should be able to send high-quality videos and photos to their mom without having to buy her a new phone.”he wrote on Twitter in response to Tim Cook’s statement.

It’s clear why Apple is opposing interoperability. But people should be able to send high quality videos and photos to their mom without having to buy her a new phone. #GetTheMessage https://t.co/j93wQRSqi6

— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 8, 2022

You should know that Google has launched a real campaign to convince Apple to adopt the RCS on the iPhone. On the Android website, he created a website titled “It’s time for Apple to fix texting. »

“It’s not about the color of the bubbles. These are blurry videos, interrupted group chats, missing read receipts and typing indicators, no texting over Wi-Fi, and more. These issues exist because Apple refuses to adopt modern texting standards when iPhone and Android phone users text each other”can we read on this site, which also indicates that “the frustration is real”, relaying some comments from Internet users on the subject.