At the recent Made By Google event, the company announced several new products, including the highly anticipated Pixel 10 lineup and the Pixel Watch 4. During the presentation, which featured television host Jimmy Fallon as the host, Google’s Vice President of Marketing Adrienne Lofton made headlines by declaring the longstanding debate over green and blue message bubbles “over.”
Lofton’s comments were delivered during a segment in which she explained the significance of Rich Communication Services (RCS), a technology that enhances messaging capabilities across devices. When Fallon admitted he was unfamiliar with RCS, Lofton responded with an explanation, emphasizing its role in standardizing text messaging. “RCS simply means there’s now one text standard for all,” she stated.
In recent years, the messaging divide between Android and Apple users has been symbolized by the colors of message bubbles—green for Android and blue for iMessage on Apple devices. Lofton highlighted how RCS allows users to enjoy improved features, such as sharing high-quality photos and videos, using a wider array of emojis, and enhancing group chat functionality.
“Can we stop talking about the green texts vs blue texts?” Fallon asked during the segment. Lofton confidently replied, “Yes. First of all, I’m going to say, personally, the green/blue bubble battle is silly and it’s tired. At Google, we’re done with that conversation.” She added that the company believes technology should unite people, regardless of their device brand, and expressed hope that users would choose a Pixel.
Lofton’s remarks come in the wake of Apple’s recent decision to adopt RCS as part of iOS 18, a significant shift that aims to enhance user experience across platforms. Prior to this change, Google and others had frequently criticized Apple for its lack of RCS support, which contributed to the green versus blue messaging dilemma. On Apple devices, RCS messages remain green, while iMessages continue to be shown in blue.
While many may agree that the adoption of RCS is a positive step, the fixation on the color of message bubbles has often seemed disproportionate. Notably, it is mainly Google and Samsung that have engaged in advertising campaigns highlighting the bubble color differentiation.
As the conversation around messaging technology evolves, Lofton’s assertions raise questions about whether this debate was ever truly a battle. The shift towards RCS may signal a new era of messaging that prioritizes functionality over branding.
For those interested in further coverage of the Made By Google event, 9to5Google provides a comprehensive overview of all the announcements made today. As the tech landscape continues to change, the emphasis on user experience may redefine how we communicate across devices.
