At Vox Media’s Code conference, an attendee told Cook that it was difficult for him to send videos to his mom because Apple devices don’t support RCS, the messaging protocol backed by Google and supported by major carriers. Cook, in response, suggested the attendee buy his mom an iPhone. “I don’t hear our users asking us to put a lot of energy into it at this point,” Cook said. This appears to be the first time Cook has publicly addressed RCS, the Rich Communications Services protocol. RCS is a major improvement over SMS and MMS, allowing you to do things like send higher quality photos and videos, and will fix many of the problems you have when sending messages between Apple and Android devices. However, Apple has so far shied away from offering support, and the distinction between iMessage’s blue bubbles and green regular text messages has remained a thorn in Google’s side. Apple has deliberately chosen to make a superior iMessage messaging experience just for Apple — and Cook’s comments on Wednesday speak to that choice. For years, it’s been a key part of Apple’s strategy to lock users into its platforms. Emails disclosed as part of Epic Games v. Apple showed top executives such as Craig Federighi (in 2013) and Phil Schiller (in 2016) arguing that bringing iMessage to Android would not benefit Apple. Eddy Cue testified in a deposition that Apple could have made an Android version of iMessage that was compatible with iOS, but it apparently hasn’t been made public. By making iMessage an Apple-only product — and continuing to improve it with features like the ability to edit and unsend messages — Apple can argue that the best way to message your friends is on an Apple device using the messaging app of Apple. While the company could theoretically adopt RCS and keep iMessage on Apple devices, it benefits by creating as much separation as possible between text messaging on Apple and Android. That means more people will buy more iPhones. Google has been campaigning hard for the past few months to get Apple to adopt RCS. Google has implemented it on Android, of course, and it’s now supported by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon (after a very slow rollout). And since all three are committed to making Google’s Android messaging app the default texting app for Android phones they sell, it’s much more likely that people will be texting through RCS without even thinking about it. Google VP Hiroshi Lockheimer led the charge, joking that there is a “Really Clear Solution” to the messaging woes and saying Apple is “holding back” messaging customers. The company also recently launched a website, “Get The Message,” to try to shame Apple into adopting RCS. Lockheimer understands Apple’s resistance to RCS, “but people should be able to send high-quality videos and photos to their mom without having to buy her a new phone,” he said. Cook, it seems, disagrees.
