Google, Apple Back at it Again on The RCS Debacle; Drags new Drake Song

Google yet again pokes at Apple for not adopting GSMA's rich communication services (RCS) module into their platform. This time, Google decides to drag Drake's new song into the issue.

Talk about moment marketing, right?

Google Pokes at Apple in a Video Tweet, Drags Drake Song Into The Fold

In a video posted in a tweet via Android's official Twitter account, they harped on Apple's refusal to deploy the RCS protocol through Drake's "Texts Go Green" song. This music belongs to the artist's newly-released album "Honestly, Nevermind."

Interpretations are all over for the new song. A part of the lyrics says: "Texts go green, it hits a little different, don't it?" According to some fans, this refers to a phone message received with a green bubble. This might suggest that the text was delivered via SMS and not iMessage.

In the video Android posted, they said that they think Drake's new song "is a real banger." They add further that "Texts Go Green," an integral part of the song, refers to a "phenomenon when either an iPhone user is blocked by a receiving contact or texts "someone who doesn't have an iPhone."

Google suggested, perhaps sarcastically, in the video that maybe some "super talented engineering team" is needed to fix it. They end it by saying that it is, indeed, a problem, but Apple can easily fix it by just adopting the RCS protocol.

However, this is not the first time that Google tackled Apple's issue on their failure to transition to RCS on Android. In one of Google's earlier statements, they stressed their wish that all mobile operating systems move to switch to RCS in order to guarantee communication privacy regardless of device.

There were even earlier tweets from the vice president of Android at Google, pushing Apple to support RCS on iPhone and not the other way around where Android adopts iMessage.

What is the RCS?

RCS protocol refers to a standard designed by the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) to empower phone messaging with functions such as high-quality multimedia attachments, typing indicators, chat reactions, and more

In short, RCS was conceptualized to modernize instant messaging and enhance the old SMS technology. The call among providers is to deploy a "Universal Profile" implementation that streamlines interoperable communication across different networks and devices.

Google has tried a Universal Profile before, but it required Google's Messages app. But because independent providers still could lock down their messaging platform from others, they had to push for more widespread adoption of the RCS protocol first.

"By not incorporating RCS, Apple is holding back the industry and holding back the user experience for not only Android users but also their own customers," says Google Senior Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer.

The problem pointed out by some reports, however, is that RCS-based messaging can still be difficult to implement. According to some, communications backed by the RCS protocol will still need a server to function. Moreover, third-party developers cannot as easily build applications that can connect with Google's servers and their own messaging app.