Soon, Indian Android users can use Apple's blue bubble chats
What's the story
Apple is in talks with Google to bring its Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging (blue bubble chats) to Indian smartphone users this year, the Economic Times has reported.
If it works out, the deal could enable RCS messaging between iPhones and Android phones, enhancing cross-platform communication.
This would have a major effect on India's business communications space, which is largely ruled by SMS and WhatsApp.
Global implementation
RCS messaging already operational in multiple countries
As per Dotgo CEO Inderpal Mumick, a global RCS platform provider, the current iOS 18.2 version supports person-to-person (P2P) RCS across eight countries: the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, UK, France, Belgium, and China.
Apple and Google have worked together to ensure that the Apple iMessage client can run on Google's backend servers, integrated with carrier networks in these countries.
In China, where Google is absent, other server vendors have been selected by carriers.
Indian partnership
Airtel won't partner with Google for RCS
In India, Apple is expected to take the same route by working with Google, which has already partnered with telecom operators Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio.
However, Airtel has opted against partnering with Google for RCS messaging over spam issues.
An Airtel executive said, "Until Google allows Airtel to identify spam messages using its proprietary tool RCS will not be onboarded... Since Google RCS is an OTT service it bypasses the Airtel intelligent solution much as all OTT services do."
Impact on users
User experience unaffected by backend integration
The backend integration between Apple and Google isn't expected to affect user experience.
RCS messages will continue to work over mobile data/Wi-Fi just like regular SMS.
But, this partnership could make a major difference in application-to-person (A2P) messaging, a channel heavily utilized by businesses such as banks and e-commerce firms for official communication.