Apple is ruining people's relationships... at least according to Elizabeth Warren

News
By Connor Jewiss
published

Another green bubble complaint

iMessage Verification in iOS 16.6
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple is ruining people's relationships, apparently. At least that's according to Elizabeth Warren. The US Senator posted a video on Twitter (now X) in which she says that green bubble texts are "ruining relationships" and are another "of the dirty tactics that Apple uses to keep a stranglehold on the smartphone market."

For those not in the know, Apple uses different coloured bubbles in the Messages app to distinguish between iMessages and SMS texts on the best iPhones. The former show up as blue bubbles, while the latter appear as green bubbles. What's the big deal? Those green bubble texts miss out on features such as read receipts and reactions, as they use SMS rather than the newer RCS format.

Warren posted this video in support of the DOJ's lawsuit against Apple. In the suit, the government claimed that one of the world's most successful and valuable companies has a stranglehold on phones, and stated bluntly that Apple uses it to extract more money from consumers. iMessage is explicitly mentioned in the lawsuit, arguing that Apple keeping the messaging app exclusive to iPhones is anti-social.

A big fuss about nothing?

The lack of iMessage support on Android means that people have to resort to using third-party apps like WhatsApp to send rich messages to iPhone owners without falling back to MMS like it's the turn of the century. But RCS fixes that issue, allowing people to send and receive rich messages using the built-in messaging apps that come pre-installed on iPhones and Android phones.

But Apple has already confirmed that it is going to add support for RCS to the Messages app on the iPhone. While Apple hasn't explicitly said when the newer messaging standard would arrive, leaks from Google and others point to it rolling out in the fall. This would be alongside the release of the iOS 18 software update this fall, and now it appears that we might have been right on the money with that. The addition of the RCS feature is only part of the iOS 18 update expectation, however. Apple is roundly expected to add some new AI features to the mix

With RCS messaging on the way to iPhones, the green bubbles vs blue bubbles debate is somewhat of a moot point. It seems odd for Warren to use this specific argument to show support for the DOJ's lawsuit, when it is one of the weakest complaints in the suit. Those relationships Warren thinks Apple is ruining? Non-iPhone users won't be excluded for much longer.

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Connor Jewiss
Connor Jewiss
Contributor

Connor is a technology writer and editor, with a byline on multiple platforms. He has been writing for around seven years now across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech.

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Just_Me_D
    The fact that she even made a comment like that tells me all I need to know about her and her politics. They simply ignore the fact that people adjust by installing an app like WhatsApp for group chatting, especially teens. They tend to have apps installed that parents never heard of.

    Therefore, stop with the sound bites and pandering to Google. Did Google donate to your cause to get you to spit this nonsense?
    Reply
  • Annie_M
    Just_Me_D said:
    The fact that she even made a comment like that tells me all I need to know about her and her politics. They simply ignore the fact that people adjust by installing an app like WhatsApp for group chatting, especially teens. They tend to have apps installed that parents never heard of.

    Therefore, stop with the sound bites and pandering to Google. Did Google donate to your cause to get you to spit this nonsense?
    Well said!!!! I couldn't agree more!
    Reply
  • naddy69
    Another clueless politician spouts gibberish.

    Hey Pocahontas. More relationships are ruined over politics than phones. So why don't we sue all Democrats and force them to become Republicans?

    Because Democrats have a "monopoly" on politics. :rolleyes:

    The point is - because you are too utterly clueless to understand - is that there is no law against "green bubbles". You can't force a company to change a product just because you don't like it. Clearly, Apple's customers are happy with Apple's products. And that is all that matters here.

    And AGAIN, you CAN'T be a "monopoly" with less than 30% of the market. That is not a "stranglehold". Apple is the underdog. Android has the "stranglehold".

    And BTW, if a "relationship is ruined" over what phone you have, that's not a relationship worth having/saving. Time to grow up and move on. When you get out of high school, things like this will no longer matter.
    Reply
  • Wotchered
    Sounds like an inferiority complex to me !
    Reply
  • EdwinG
    This is the level of “I do not care” that I give to the entire bubble colour situation.

    133770
    I really do not care at all. If the person prefers an Android, BlackBerry, iPhone or Windows phone, good for them. Who am I to judge their personal decisions, and why would I never talk to them again‽

    If Warren wants to spend their own money on complaining publicly about a non-issue, why are we giving them our own time. All I know is that any way I look at it, there’s no impact on my life. I can name many more important societal issues than messaging bubble colours!

    I think some people need some ZenAndTech in their lives 🤷‍♂️
    Reply