It’s time to fix Apple’s iMessage green bubble issues

Apple’s iMessage has a well-documented history of separating people into “blue” and “green” bubbles based on whether they’re using an iPhone or Android phone. But that problem is now far bigger than just looking cool in our group chats.

Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal published a story detailing how this distinction between green and blue chat bubbles has caused social pressure among teens and young people. The blue and green bubble debate highlights a broader problem throughout the industry: There is no single, modern texting standard that works across all phones. Rich Communication Services, or RCS, is the closest alternative. 

Google has been championing this messaging platform, which is packed with iMessage-like features such as typing indicators and read receipts, by working with carriers to make it the default option on most Android phones. It’s a step forward in making messaging more uniform across the wide variety of Android devices that exist. But it still doesn’t fix the issue highlighted by the Journal of improving compatibility between the iPhone and Android phones.

As one of the biggest players in the mobile phone industry, Apple could undoubtedly be doing more to help establish a more consistent texting experience across devices. But the question is whether doing so is in the company’s interest. Apple often touts its control over iOS as a selling point for consumers, and shifting away from iMessage could jeopardize that. 

Apple has not yet responded to CNET’s request for comment, and Google pointed us to a number of tweets from Hiroshi Lockheimer, its senior vice president for Android, in which he criticizes Apple for using “pressure and bullying” to lock in users.