Google Blasts Apple's iMessage, Urges It to Adopt 'Modern Texting Standards' Between iPhones, Android Devices

Google is pressuring Apple to adopt a "next-generation standard" for text messaging.

Google is tired of Apple's exclusivity when it comes to sending messages to Android devices. iMessage is famously known for showing "blue bubbles" when communicating with other Apple devices versus "green bubbles" when texting Android devices. Google, which develops the Android operating system, hopes to change that by urging Apple to adopt RCS modern texting standards.

On Tuesday, Google boldly called out Apple over its alleged failure to improve the user experience of those who communicate using Apple iPhones and Android devices. Users have already raised concerns about the green message bubbles that appear when using cross-device messages, poor quality compressed videos, missing read receipts, and more, Insider reported.

Naturally, Google blamed Apple for failing to use modern texting standards as the company converts texts sent between iPhones and Android devices into SMS and MMS, which are actually decades-old methods of sending text-only messages from devices. Google urged Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services or RCS, which is the "modern industry standard" that is now being used to enable the sending and receiving of texts and media such as photos, videos, and emojis.

Google Launches 'Get the Message' Campaign Aimed at Apple

To show Apple just how serious they were about their concerns over text messaging issues between iPhones and Android devices, Google launched the a publicity campaign that declared, "It's time for Apple to fix texting" and that users should "Help @Apple #GetTheMessage." Google added that "the frustration is real" and that users are already talking about it on social media.

CNBC reported that Google just wants people to stop blaming Android users for "ruining chats" because the truth is that "Apple is responsible" for the lackluster user experience, the company's global vice president for integrated marketing for platforms, Adrienne Lofton said.

Google further argued in a statement that messaging should bring people together instead of pulling them apart. Android developers said that the goal was to create a more secure, modern, and better user experience for everyone regardless if they are using Apple iPhones or Android devices.

Apple 'Locks In' User with iMessage

Tech giants are battling it out over messaging services because users are less likely to switch to another platform or app if they are all using the same service. This is exactly how they get "locked-in" with their service or device, TechCrunch reported. In fact, Meta, which owns WhatsApp, is also in direct competition with Apple's iMessage, which is widely used in the US, where iPhones have over 55% of the market.

Earlier this year, Google Senior Vice President for Android Hiroshi Lockheimer revealed through internal Apple emails that the company was indeed using its iMessage platform to lock in its customers. The internal emails were part of a lawsuit in 2021 that revealed how Apple executives rejected proposals to bring the iMessage app to Android devices.

But instead of bringing the iMessage to Android, Google has a better solution: for Apple to support RCS, which was developed by a coalition of wireless carriers and tech companies as the improved version of the SMS and MMS systems that had been used for many years now. Apple has not publicly responded to Google's concerns over iMessage and texting standards between iPhones and Android devices.