Tim Cook made it clear that Apple won't adopt RCS any time soon

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited September 2022
Tim Cook has responded about why Apple hasn't adopted RCS messaging, claiming it isn't of interest to Apple users -- and urging people to buy iPhones.




Speaking at the Code 22 conference, Tim Cook was asked about why Apple refuses to add Rich Communication Services (RCS) support to Messages. The question comes after Google has been campaigning to see RCS support, which would in theory make messaging

"I don't see our users asking us to put a lot of energy into that at this point," Cook told the questioner. "I would love to convert you to an iPhone."

That unnamed questioner gave as an example the situation he is in with his mother. He would like to share videos with her, but she's an Android user and can only exchange text or SMS messages with him.

"Buy your mom an iPhone," said Cook.

The exchange ended there, with neither side commenting on how although Messages and RCS is a hot issue in the States, it isn't anywhere else. Outside the US, alternatives such as WhatsApp are so very much more prevalent than Apple's or Google's systems.

Nor was the issue that RCS remains half-baked after many years. And it was also not mentioned that Google is pushing RCS only because its own messaging alternatives failed to catch on.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    Google has changed its messaging platform more often than some change their underwear. I don’t think Apple wants to put energy into following. They’d rather lead and build a successful product.
    lkruppflyingdprob53ronntdknoxdoozydozenigorskyStrangeDayswilliamlondonlolliver
  • Reply 2 of 32
    AutigerMarkAutigerMark Posts: 64member
    I get it, I like Tim, we’re from the same county but disagree on this one.  I would rather advanced text messaging work and work well no matter what phone I’m texting too - not buy them or convince them to buy an iPhone.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 3 of 32
    peterhartpeterhart Posts: 157member
    Lolll. “Buy an iPhone.” <mic drop…leaves room> 
    netroxdoozydozenigorskyStrangeDayslollivermac daddy zeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 32
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,253member
    The fewer things from Google the better. I totally agree with Tim. There's no reason for Apple to change to an inferior product. Rich Communication Services is a joke of a name, there's nothing "rich" about anything from Google.
    williamlondonlollivermac daddy zeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 32
    JaiOh81JaiOh81 Posts: 60member
    AutigerMark said:
    I get it, I like Tim, we’re from the same county but disagree on this one.  I would rather advanced text messaging work and work well no matter what phone I’m texting too - not buy them or convince them to buy an iPhone.
    You’ve got WhatsApp, Telegram, Wickr, Signal and I’m sure other options that would work for you. But why should apple adopt something that isn’t even fully fleshed out and isn’t something iPhone users care about? Of course they want more ppl to buy iPhones. His response was perfect 
    ronnackpfftsireofsethdoozydozenpscooter63igorskywilliamlondonlolliverFileMakerFellerJFC_PA
  • Reply 6 of 32
    ToddHealyToddHealy Posts: 2member
    RCS is a new communication standard that is not end to end encrypted by default.  That is simply not acceptable any more.  I don't think Apple, or anyone else, should support it unless that is fixed.  It has nothing to do with Apple Vs. Google.
    ronnsireofsethdoozydozenpscooter63entropysigorskyStrangeDayswilliamlondonlolliverFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 7 of 32
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    AutigerMark said:
    I get it, I like Tim, we’re from the same county but disagree on this one.  I would rather advanced text messaging work and work well no matter what phone I’m texting too - not buy them or convince them to buy an iPhone.
    It does work well. It’s SMS and RCS that are the problem. 
    sireofsethlolliverJaiOh81FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 32
    danoxdanox Posts: 2,872member
    ToddHealy said:
    RCS is a new communication standard that is not end to end encrypted by default.  That is simply not acceptable any more.  I don't think Apple, or anyone else, should support it unless that is fixed.  It has nothing to do with Apple Vs. Google.
    Nonsense….
    williamlondon
  • Reply 9 of 32
    king editor the grateking editor the grate Posts: 646member
    rob53 said:
    … there's nothing "rich" about anything from Google.

    7a: ENTERTAINING
    also : LAUGHABLE
  • Reply 10 of 32
    maciekskontaktmaciekskontakt Posts: 1,169member
    jkichline said:
    Google has changed its messaging platform more often than some change their underwear. I don’t think Apple wants to put energy into following. They’d rather lead and build a successful product.
    So Apple on its connector standards over last 15 years. Way more than we need. Hopefully EU will tame Apple on this. USB-C is enough. Do not produce garbage that will be abandoned 3-5 years later.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 32
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,126member
    maciekskontakt said:
    jkichline said:
    Google has changed its messaging platform more often than some change their underwear. I don’t think Apple wants to put energy into following. They’d rather lead and build a successful product.
    So Apple on its connector standards over last 15 years. Way more than we need. Hopefully EU will tame Apple on this. USB-C is enough. Do not produce garbage that will be abandoned 3-5 years later.
    Yup, we should all be happy with micro USB or 30 pin?
    sireofsethpscooter63ronnlolliverJaiOh81JFC_PAwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 32
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,885member
    king editor the grate said:
    rob53 said:
    … there's nothing "rich" about anything from Google.

    7a: ENTERTAINING
    also : LAUGHABLE
    Except its founders and top execs.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 32
    sireofsethsireofseth Posts: 14member
    maciekskontakt said:
    jkichline said:
    Google has changed its messaging platform more often than some change their underwear. I don’t think Apple wants to put energy into following. They’d rather lead and build a successful product.
    So Apple on its connector standards over last 15 years. Way more than we need. Hopefully EU will tame Apple on this. USB-C is enough. Do not produce garbage that will be abandoned 3-5 years later.
    Huh? 30-pin was around for 9 years. Lightning is 10 years. 
    ronnwilliamlondonlolliverJaiOh81FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 32
    RudeBoyRudyRudeBoyRudy Posts: 106member
    maciekskontakt said:
    jkichline said:
    Google has changed its messaging platform more often than some change their underwear. I don’t think Apple wants to put energy into following. They’d rather lead and build a successful product.
    So Apple on its connector standards over last 15 years. Way more than we need. Hopefully EU will tame Apple on this. USB-C is enough. Do not produce garbage that will be abandoned 3-5 years later.
    calm down, communist. all this fake bravdo. you sound silly
    williamlondonlolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 32
    RudeBoyRudyRudeBoyRudy Posts: 106member
    JaiOh81 said:
    AutigerMark said:
    I get it, I like Tim, we’re from the same county but disagree on this one.  I would rather advanced text messaging work and work well no matter what phone I’m texting too - not buy them or convince them to buy an iPhone.
    You’ve got WhatsApp, Telegram, Wickr, Signal and I’m sure other options that would work for you. But why should apple adopt something that isn’t even fully fleshed out and isn’t something iPhone users care about? Of course they want more ppl to buy iPhones. His response was perfect 
    what is it with all these trolls all of a sudden demanding Apple use something else. Agreed 100% with all the above messaging apps. The person crying about him and his mom not exchanging videos, blah blah. The rest of the world runs of Whats App and rather well I might add. 


    ronnwilliamlondonlolliverJaiOh81watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 32
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I get it, I like Tim, we’re from the same county but disagree on this one.  I would rather advanced text messaging work and work well no matter what phone I’m texting too - not buy them or convince them to buy an iPhone.
    Except that RCS doesn’t work well. No doubt, however, politicians will soon be demanding that Apple be forced to comply. And while they're at it why not force Apple to drop macOS and iOS in favor of Windows and Android. Ban Apple Silicon too, that’s a real problem for consumers and old software. Then we can all have a happy, homogenous experience being able to switch from a PC to Apple hardware with ease and not have to worry about buying new software. Developers will love it because they won’t have to code and debug for multiple platforms. It would be a win-win for consumers, right? /s
    edited September 2022 beowulfschmidtentropysronnwilliamlondonJaiOh81FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 32
    amar99amar99 Posts: 181member
    As exposed in some of the emails from Epic Games vs. Apple, Apple chose early on to use iMessage / Messages as a lock-in for the iPhone platform. They have no incentive to give this one up and make it easier for users to securely message other platforms, until coerced by law to do so.

    Edit: typo
    edited September 2022 williamlondonJaiOh81derekmorr
  • Reply 18 of 32
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    amar99 said:
    As exposed in some of the emails from Epic Games vs. Apple, Apple chose early on to use iMessage / Messages as a lock-in for the iPhone platform. They have no incentive to give this one up and make it easier for users to securely message other platforms, until coerced by law to do so.

    Edit: typo
    Are you actually trying to tell Apple users that we have no other means of texting or sending media other than Messages?
     
    From Ars Technica no less...

    https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/08/new-google-site-begs-apple-for-mercy-in-messaging-war/


    edited September 2022 muthuk_vanalingamronnwilliamlondonJaiOh81FileMakerFellerJFC_PAwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 32
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,573member
    lkrupp said:
    amar99 said:
    As exposed in some of the emails from Epic Games vs. Apple, Apple chose early on to use iMessage / Messages as a lock-in for the iPhone platform. They have no incentive to give this one up and make it easier for users to securely message other platforms, until coerced by law to do so.

    Edit: typo
    Are you actually trying to tell Apple users that we have no other means of texting or sending media other than Messages?
     
    From Ars Technica no less...

    https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/08/new-google-site-begs-apple-for-mercy-in-messaging-war/


    Excellent article. Apple would have to sign a license agreement to use RCS, pay Google, and would have to send messages (some unencrypted) through Google's servers, and would be subject to support any changes to RCS messaging that Google requires. Wow.
    edited September 2022 ronnsireofsethwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 32
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,168member
    It isn’t as though how RCS operates would not vary based on carrier decisions either.  

    Thing is iMessage is better for iPhone users. The only downside is it reverts to SMS for android users.
    ronndanoxwatto_cobra
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