Google's new "iPager" ad mocks Apple iPhone for lack of RCS support

Last year, Google created a new page on the Android website that calls on Apple to implement the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard for any texts sent from iPhone to Android (and vice-versa). One year since launching its "Get the Message" campaign, Google is doubling on efforts to push Apple to support RCS.

In its latest move, Google has released a new animated video ridiculing the outdated messaging experience on iPhones. Titled "Meet iPager," the new ad mocks the fact that iPhones still rely on SMS and MMS instead of RCS to chat with Android users.

The animated video presents a parody product announcement for an "iPager" device that mimics the old-fashioned messaging experience between iOS and Android. The video reflects Apple's iconic "Hello" introduction of the original Macintosh in 1984 and the 2007 iPhone launch ad. It also emphasizes that Apple still relies on legacy SMS protocols rather than adopting RCS.

Google blames Apple's lack of RCS support for ongoing issues like lack of encryption, broken group chats, and low-quality media sharing between iOS and Android users. The "Get the Message" campaign highlights these interoperability problems and pushes Apple to adopt RCS as the messaging standard.

However, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in September 2022 that RCS is not a priority for the company. Cook explained that "our users are not asking us to expend a lot of energy at this point."

By ramping up its PR tactics with attention-grabbing videos, Google appears committed to continuing pressure on Apple over messaging standards. But Apple shows no signs of bending yet, leaving messaging experiences fractured between iOS and Android.

It remains to be seen if public pressure from Google's campaign could eventually sway Apple's stance on modernizing its messaging protocols.