iPhone gets RCS support, but what does this mean for green bubbles?

UPDATE: Nov. 17, 2023, 8:22 a.m. EST This article now reflections 9to5Mac's confirmation that Apple is still keeping green bubbles green.

Wait, so Apple is actually supporting RCS for iOS? Did hell freeze over? Are pigs flying?

Calling it a "surprising move," 9to5Mac says that Apple announced that it will, indeed, add support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to offer better interoperability between iPhone and Android devices.

Why did Apple have a change of heart?

Companies such as Google and Samsung have been running campaigns pleading with the Cupertino-based tech giant to embrace RCS, an industry messaging standard that over 500 Android devices and most carriers embrace — excluding Apple, of course.

The poor interoperability between Android phones and iDevices forced us to endure broken group chats, grainy videos, low-quality media, lack of encryption, and other undesirables.

"Texting between iPhones and Android phones feels like using tech from another era, because it is – Apple refuses to adopt modern texting standards. But it's 2023, and texting shouldn't feel like using a pager," Google said during its #GetTheMessage campaign.

Apple has been on mute while Google and Samsung joined together to "RCS shame" the Cupertino-based tech giant — until now. According to 9to5Mac, Apple caved due to "pressure from regulators." Plus, RCS continues to advance and mature, making it more attractive than ever.

What does this mean for green bubbles?

Once Apple officially supports RCS for iOS, cross-platform messaging will now feature high-quality image and videos, read receipts, typing indicators, and more. Plus, Apple told 9to5Mac that users will finally have the opportunity to share their location with others inside text threads.

But the question is, with green bubbles being the "scarlet letter" for Android users in a pro-iPhone world, will Apple find a way to dispel the ol' "green vs. blue bubbles" divide? Many tech pundits suspect that Apple will keep the divide alive.

For example, Marques Brownlee, a popular tech YouTuber with nearly 18 million subscribers, says that Apple's adoption doesn't necessarily mean that green bubbles will die.

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"They can still absolutely treat RCS messages differently vs iMessage… BUT it does help with encryption and higher file size support between Android and iPhones," Brownlee said.

As it turns out, Brownlee is spot on; 9to5Mac confirmed that Apple will not be getting rid of the green bubbles. "Blue bubbles will still be used to represent iMessages, while green bubbles will represent RCS messages," 9to5Mac said.

Apple told 9to5Mac that RCS support for iOS will roll out some time in 2024.