Google is targeting Apple’s popular iMessage service in a series of ad campaigns that urge the tech giant to switch to the RCS messaging standard.
Google has unleashed a new advertising campaign that calls on users to urge Apple to switch to the Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging standard and “fix texting.” Currently, Apple touts iMessage as the premier messaging service, but it is only available for use between Apple users. The messaging service is available to anyone with an Apple ID on one of the company’s devices, but works best when it is connected to an iPhone with an active cellular plan. iMessage is a solid choice for communication — it provides encryption, multiple-device syncing, and third-party app support — though incompatibility with Android devices limits its reach.
A potential switch to the RCS standard by Apple wouldn’t affect iMessage support between the company’s devices. Anytime an iPhone sends a text message to a non-iPhone user, the message is sent as an SMS or MMS communication. These standards date back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, and are ancient compared to modern options. While iMessage is superior when compared to SMS or MMS, these inferior communication methods are still utilized by iPhones when contacting people with Android smartphones.
The new advertising campaign from Google spans a website, social media advertisements, and testimonials from prominent actors and influencers. It offers multiple solutions to correct the issues iPhone and Android users currently face when communicating, and adding RCS support is listed first and foremost. Google places the blame on Apple for not supporting the modern standard, and claims that Apple could adopt RCS to make the experience better for both Android and iPhone users. As a present alternative, Google suggests using Signal or WhatsApp for a consistent messaging experience regardless of what device the recipient is using. Its own in-house messaging service, Google Messages, is found on many Android phones.
What Is Rich Communication Services (RCS)?
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an updated messaging standard with significant improvements over the outdated SMS and MMS messaging standards. RCS supports the latest technologies and features in the messaging space like end-to-end encryption, high quality media sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators. Plus, it supports these features across a wide variety of devices. More than 500 Android device manufacturers support RCS, as well as most cellular carriers, according to Google’s campaign. If Apple adopted the RCS standard, many of the staples of iMessage would be available to all users — regardless of which device they are using.
It’s no secret that iMessage is one of the iPhone’s selling points, and Apple supporting RCS messaging would likely diminish the appeal of iMessage. Apple markets iMessage as a fun, continuous, and secure communication method optimized for all the devices in its ecosystem. However, Apple could retain all of iMessage’s functionality — and still make it exclusive to the company’s products — while providing a better experience to all users by supporting the RCS standard. Though Google‘s campaign asks users to take to social media and request Apple to make the switch, it doesn’t look like RCS support is coming to the iPhone anytime soon.
Source: Android
