Google Urges Apple Not to 'Drop the Ball' on Fixing Messaging in New Billboard Pushing RCS

[fatTribble]

If Google wants it, it must be bad.

 

[IphoneX9753]

I couldn’t care less if my iPhone works better with Android. Out of my 200 contacts I only have 1 contact that I message frequently that it would benefit me for. And that contact is seriously considering switching as all of the remainder of our mutual friends have iPhones.

 

[dannyyankou]

If you actually search the #GetTheMessage hashtag, it seems like not many people actually care about this

 

[DonutHands]

I voice call people using their phone numbers. I'd really like to be able to message them using that same number and have nearly the same feature set no matter what phone they chose to use.
RCS would make this a much better experience.

Side bar: The new generation mostly uses Apple iPhones. Android is dying.

Nope, this is just plain incorrect.

 

[mannyvel]

Again, RCS is so great that Google disabled it in India...because of business-related rich-content spam.

Go google!

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Apple should campaign to have Google license and adopt iMessage, the superior standard.

 

[Ap0ks]

Nobody else noticed the image says the ball ”dropped on 2022” when it’s 2023?

The way it’s written makes perfect sense, putting 2023 instead doesn’t. It’s referring to the year ending rather than a specific date.

Although, as a non-USer, the ad being in Las Vegas is odd to me. Isn’t the ball drop a New York thing or do those on the west coast celebrate the New Year early?

 

[Azathoth123]

Again, RCS is so great that Google disabled it in India...because of business-related rich-content spam.

Go google!

Actually it was RCS business ads, not RCS itself. But the ads are why Google wants Apple to adopt it, to serve us RCS ads.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Is RCS potentially a ticket to a clear pipeline for delivering ads and/or collecting data? If so, it would make sense why the largest digital advertising company might be pushing it.

 

[Azathoth123]

Apple should campaign to have Google license and adopt iMessage, the superior standard.

I don’t think Google would adopt or license iMessage if they couldn’t slurp data or serve ads.

 

[sdf]

It is bad for the consumer when large corporations like Apple refuse such a simple fix in the name of profits. Do I blame them? I can't say that I do, it makes sense that Apple doesn't have any interest in fixing texting. But at the same time, I can't get behind something that ultimately only hurts the consumer, and this does.

Texting iOS to Android is horrible but it doesn't have to be that way, and it shouldn't.

The standard is not secure. (Google’s extensions that make it semi-secure are proprietary.) Google wants Apple to pretend it is. This is not a simple fix, this is attempted manipulation to make security theatre and not fix anything.

 

[Doug0915]

**WHY** do they believe this campaign will convince Apple to change? If I were Apple I would make sure I didn’t change so as not to look like I had buckled to their demands.

 

[Azathoth123]

Is RCS potentially a ticket to a clear pipeline for delivering ads and/or collecting data? If so, it would make sense why the largest digital advertising company might be pushing it.

I believe so based on the Android Authority piece cited above

 

[Coochie Boogs]

I appreciate Apple for not listening to Google. Google does not have a good track record for maintaining any of its initiatives, especially when it comes to messaging.

 

[zapmymac]

#googleisdesperate

 

[HMFIC03]

Kill messaging and collect user data.

Bingo. Apple sells hardware, Google sells ads. Who has more to gain?

 

[okieoutwest]

Google uses their own non-standard version of RCS in all their apps. This version forces all messages to go through Google's own servers, which allows them to track all conversations (to/from, time, and more) which is hugely valuable to their ad business. That's why they're pushing this so hard. Not only do they get that data from most Android users, but they want to get it from iOS users too (who statistically text more than Android users).

Additionally, RCS in its standard form may or may not use your telco providers servers. So you have to really look into it to know where your messages are being routed. This means different privacy policies depending on who it's going through. It's a privacy nightmare. And if your phone roams or is something like Xfinity Mobile (which uses Verizon and other towers), then it could go through any number of different servers. Travel to another country? They may relay your messages through their own servers (where with iMessage, you know they always go through Apples servers and no one else's before heading to your friend).

This is one of the most useful comments in this thread so far. Thanks. Can you point me in the general direction of supporting analysis/research/commentary that's fleshed out further?

 

[zv470]

I think Apple should release iMessages for Android.

 

[darngooddesign]

Apple's photos aren't pixelated, Android's are.

 

[DominikHoffmann]

If iMessage didn’t hurt Google, they wouldn’t care.

 

[Surfer13134]

I love Apple and I love Android. I currently have an iPhone with one of the main reasons is iMessage, but I have a few family members (especially my grandparents) that have Android and we can't send them videos due to the compression issues and trying to teach my grandfather how to use another messaging app is out the door as he can barely figure out his phone now. A lot of people just can't afford iPhones as well, I totally understand Apple wanting to keep the iMessage ecosystem for their own but if they can work with google to add some sort of RCS so Apple and Android can send at least videos that are actually viewable would be perfect!

 

[farhad_ris]

It is bad for the consumer when large corporations like Apple refuse such a simple fix in the name of profits. Do I blame them? I can't say that I do, it makes sense that Apple doesn't have any interest in fixing texting. But at the same time, I can't get behind something that ultimately only hurts the consumer, and this does.

Texting iOS to Android is horrible but it doesn't have to be that way, and it shouldn't.

RCS has exactly the same security and privacy protocol and technologies as SMS/MMS...
and considering the amount of data that it can carry, it's a big security risk...

 

[cthompson94]

I love Apple and I love Android. I currently have an iPhone with one of the main reasons is iMessage, but I have a few family members (especially my grandparents) that have Android and we can't send them videos due to the compression issues and trying to teach my grandfather how to use another messaging app is out the door as he can barely figure out his phone now. A lot of people just can't afford iPhones as well, I totally understand Apple wanting to keep the iMessage ecosystem for their own but if they can work with google to add some sort of RCS so Apple and Android can send at least videos that are actually viewable would be perfect!

A work around that can possibly help share photos/video with older family/friends is that use android is a shared album with google photos or whatever photo app they use. Doing it this method you (anyone who knows how and in the group) can send invite links and basically have a family collaboration of photos and videos. Sure this isn't as easy as just texting it but it does cater to the older crowd since they won't have to do anything once it is set up.

I also don't agree nowadays with the whole "people can't afford iPhones" there are cheaper versions like the iPhone SE that is the same price as most mid range Android phones and you could certainly get nice quality second hand iPhones that day of iPhones being the only $1,000 phone is gone and with the software support length that iPhones have again a well kept secondhand iPhone will still last years. Of course, I am not saying that everyone should have one or anything like that, just saying specifically the whole iPhones are too expensive is not true

 

[farhad_ris]

I love Apple and I love Android. I currently have an iPhone with one of the main reasons is iMessage, but I have a few family members (especially my grandparents) that have Android and we can't send them videos due to the compression issues and trying to teach my grandfather how to use another messaging app is out the door as he can barely figure out his phone now. A lot of people just can't afford iPhones as well, I totally understand Apple wanting to keep the iMessage ecosystem for their own but if they can work with google to add some sort of RCS so Apple and Android can send at least videos that are actually viewable would be perfect!

Why don't you use other messengers like What'sApp, Telegram and many more why would you like to destroy iMessage for that...
RCS has exactly the same security and privacy protocol and technologies as SMS/MMS...
and considering the amount of data that it can carry, it's a big security risk...

 

[3460169]

4+ years ago and a good read about Apple's attempts to proliferate iMessage beyond its own ecosystem and platforms.

Apple pitched a standardized version of iMessage to wireless carriers, but they didn't bite | AppleInsider

In an editorial bemoaning the lack of interoperability between Apple's iMessage and common SMS texting systems, former head of iOS development Scott Forstall reveals the company once tried to push wireless carriers toward its version of messaging.

appleinsider.com