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Google puts up large ad at CES 2023 urging Apple once again to adopt the RCS messaging protocol

By Kenny Yeo - on 5 Jan 2023, 10:22am

Google puts up large ad at CES 2023 urging Apple once again to adopt the RCS messaging protocol

@uptin

First time I’ve even seen an ad for android and it’s going all out

♬ Funny Song - Cavendish Music

Google has taken up a large ad at the Harmon Corner in Las Vegas during CES 2023 to once again ask Apple to adopt the RCS messaging protocol for its Messages app.

The ad says:

Hey Apple, it's Android

The ball may have dropped on 2022, but you don't have to drop the ball on fixing your pixelated photos and videos. Here's some code to get the ball rolling...

The ad then proceeds to scroll through lines of code, presumably code that is needed to get the RCS protocol supported in the Messages app.

For the uninitiated, RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a new protocol adopted by Android that rolls in features from newer message apps. This means stuff like improved encryption, cross-platform emojis, group chats, video, audio, read receipts, etc.

The RCS protocol is supported by Android phones and also most major carriers around the world. 

This isn't the first time Google has taken out a large ad calling out Apple on its refusal to support RCS. In August last year, the company launched its "Get The Message" campaign to pressure Apple to adopt RCS.

Despite its efforts, Apple hasn't indicated that it will do so. In fact, its CEO Tim Cook said recently that RCS is not a priority and that he doesn't hear our users asking for that feature.

There is some truth to this. In most of Asia, where most users rely on cross-platform messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat, there's little need to rely on SMS. That's probably why you don't see many users complaining about it here.

This whole kerfuffle stems partly from the fact that Android users appear as green text bubbles in Apple's Messages app. There are numerous stories (herehere, here, and here) about how Android users are somehow shunned or neglected by iPhone users just because their text shows up as green text bubbles.

Source: @uptin / Tik Tok

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