Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL

[drinkingtea]

The quote was "RCS will only be successful in the U.S. if Apple agrees to utilize it"

That's ridiculous.

Yep, that's exactly what I wrote. That was about Android-to-iOS use, which the proceeding sentences are about. It will not be fully successful in the U.S./Canada unless Apple is on board with RCS. What's the point of having an Android with RCS if most/all of your contacts use an iPhone?

 

[Michael Goff]

Yep, that's exactly what I wrote. That was about Android-to-iOS use, which the proceeding sentences are about. It will not be fully successful in the U.S./Canada unless Apple is on board with RCS. What's the point of having an Android with RCS if most/all of your contacts use an iPhone?

Sadly, that is true. But if you're an Android user talking to mainly iPhone users, you're probably on a third party messenger anyway.

 

[drinkingtea]

Sadly, that is true. But if you're an Android user talking to mainly iPhone users, you're probably on a third party messenger anyway.

This is definitely true for countries that aren't the U.S./Canada. Most iPhone users in U.S./Canada stick to using iMessage and do not/will not download a third party messaging app, even when an Android user requests them to. My friends from the U.K. with iPhones all use WhatsApp, not iMessage: this seems to be a pattern across the U.K. and Europe.

 

[Michael Goff]

This is definitely true for countries that aren't the U.S./Canada. Most iPhone users in U.S./Canada stick to using iMessage and do not/will not download a third party messaging app, even when an Android user requests them to. My friends from the U.K. with iPhones all use WhatsApp: this seems to be a pattern across the U.K. and Europe.

Do you have a source for that claim?

 

[drinkingtea]

Do you have a source for that claim?

There's no article about this claim that I can find, but it's a pretty well-known fact that iPhone users in Europe and other non-North American countries almost exclusively use WhatsApp/third party messaging apps instead of iMessage. There's several threads about this in Reddit, like these ones:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...n_the_****_do_you_americans_not_use_whatsapp/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...t_message_apps_do_you_use_is_imessage_really/

Edit:

https://www.wired.com/2014/02/whatsapp-rules-rest-world/
https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-th...opular-in-the-U-S-as-it-is-in-other-countries
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/605sv3/anyone_not_use_imessage_on_their_iphone/

 

[Roadstar]

There's no article about this claim that I can find, but it's a pretty well-known fact that iPhone users in Europe and other non-North American countries almost exclusively use WhatsApp/third party messaging apps instead of iMessage. There's several threads about this in Reddit, like these ones:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...n_the_****_do_you_americans_not_use_whatsapp/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...t_message_apps_do_you_use_is_imessage_really/

Edit:

https://www.wired.com/2014/02/whatsapp-rules-rest-world/
https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-th...opular-in-the-U-S-as-it-is-in-other-countries

Yep, as a European I can confirm that. Most iPhone users still have iMessage enabled as that's the default, but any kind of messaging involving group chats and/or multimedia takes place in WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger as they don't care if you're on Android or iPhone. Of course in some cases where you know for sure that also other party is on an iPhone, you might use iMessage, but for group chats a platform-specific option is usually a non-starter.

Personally I've had no issues dumping iMessage whenever I go Android for a change.

 

[Michael Goff]

There's no article about this claim that I can find, but it's a pretty well-known fact that iPhone users in Europe and other non-North American countries almost exclusively use WhatsApp/third party messaging apps instead of iMessage. There's several threads about this in Reddit, like these ones:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...n_the_****_do_you_americans_not_use_whatsapp/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmeri...t_message_apps_do_you_use_is_imessage_really/

Edit:

https://www.wired.com/2014/02/whatsapp-rules-rest-world/
https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-th...opular-in-the-U-S-as-it-is-in-other-countries
https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/605sv3/anyone_not_use_imessage_on_their_iphone/

Facebook Messenger has over 100m users in the US and WhatsApp has around 25m.

 

[drinkingtea]

Facebook Messenger has over 100m users in the US and WhatsApp has around 25m.

That might be true, but that doesn't negate the fact that iPhone users in the U.S./Canada still largely use iMessage nor does it mean that these individuals are using Facebook Messenger and/or WhatsApp exclusively as messaging apps while completely eschewing iMessage. I have friends who message me via Facebook Messenger, but that's maybe once every other week (AKA when they see something funny on Facebook), but almost all of our texting interactions occur in iMessage. I think that's how most utilize Facebook Messenger in the U.S., but I could be wrong.
[doublepost=1545171726][/doublepost]

Yep, as a European I can confirm that. Most iPhone users still have iMessage enabled as that's the default, but any kind of messaging involving group chats and/or multimedia takes place in WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger as they don't care if you're on Android or iPhone. Of course in some cases where you know for sure that also other party is on an iPhone, you might use iMessage, but for group chats a platform-specific option is usually a non-starter.

Personally I've had no issues dumping iMessage whenever I go Android for a change.

So, I'm assuming the iPhone vs. Android war isn't such a huge deal in Europe as it is in America, where some are oddly shamed for owning Androids?

 

[Michael Goff]

That might be true, but that doesn't negate the fact that iPhone users in the U.S./Canada still largely use iMessage nor does it mean that these individuals are using Facebook Messenger and/or WhatsApp exclusively as messaging apps while completely eschewing iMessage. I have friends who message me via Facebook Messenger, but that's maybe once every other week (AKA when they see something funny on Facebook), but almost all of our texting interactions occur in iMessage. I think that's how most utilize Facebook Messenger in the U.S., but I could be wrong.
[doublepost=1545171726][/doublepost]

So, I'm assuming the iPhone vs. Android war isn't such a huge deal in Europe as it is in America, where some are oddly shamed for owning Androids?

I think all of your information coming from your small group of friends is a problem.

 

[drinkingtea]

I think all of your information coming from your small group of friends is a problem.

Uhm, okay. A European user here corroborated my claim. Did you even read any of the links I provided? I wasn't definitive about the Facebook Messenger bit since it's a pattern I've noticed just with my friends (which is why I wrote "but I could be wrong"). I try my best not to spread around fake news, which is why I explicitly state my friends are my sources without giving a definitive claim because what my friends do or don't do isn't indicative of what an entire population does or doesn't do. If so, that's a logical flaw. Damn, I really would not have done well on the LSAT if that is my logical thinking. Hence, I provided links that could better back-up my claims. But think what you want to think.

 

[Roadstar]

So, I'm assuming the iPhone vs. Android war isn't such a huge deal in Europe as it is in America, where some are oddly shamed for owning Androids?

Definitely not. With iPhone prices going through the roof and iPhones having a reputation of being crappy winter phones, you have to be a really devoted fanboy to even think about giving someone any crap about opting for an Android. If you do so anyway, all you'll get is a reputation of being a jerk.

 

[drinkingtea]

Definitely not. With iPhone prices going through the roof and iPhones having a reputation of being crappy winter phones, you have to be a really devoted fanboy to even think about giving someone any crap about opting for an Android. If you do so anyway, all you'll get is a reputation of being a jerk.

That's really great to hear. Another small incentive for me to move to Europe, haha.

 

[csurfr]

So the pixel arrived today. I have to admit, not bad. It's the exact same size as the XS Max (in fact the XL case fit the XS max). The chin is a little meh, as is the larger notch, but the software tweaks are pretty nice.... dark mode, flip to shh, etc. Having it on the pixel stand plays a slideshow of pictures, or can turn on dnd, fingerprint swipe to open the notification tray. . . It's the little things.

After turning the UI settings down all the way on the XL, the XS Max looks dated. The icons text size, etc all look insanely large (and I have them on the smallest setting).

 

[AustinIllini]

Yep, that's exactly what I wrote. That was about Android-to-iOS use, which the proceeding sentences are about. It will not be fully successful in the U.S./Canada unless Apple is on board with RCS. What's the point of having an Android with RCS if most/all of your contacts use an iPhone?

That's a bad take.

If every Android device can use RCS, it's going to be successful particularly in the US where people still use texting

 

[drinkingtea]

That's a bad take.

If every Android device can use RCS, it's going to be successful particularly in the US where people still use texting

It won't be successful when texting someone with an iPhone.

 

[AustinIllini]

It won't be successful when texting someone with an iPhone.

How do you define successful?

It would survive and thrive on Android if it became ubiquitous there.

 

[drinkingtea]

How do you define successful?

It would survive and thrive on Android if it became ubiquitous there.

Well, you might not agree with this metric, but: If I switched to a Pixel right now, I wouldn't be able to use RCS since all of my contacts use iMessage. What's the success rate of RCS in this circumstance? 0. I wouldn't be a happy customer. I think (not "know," before that one user jumps on me) many others in the U.S. with an Android would face this difficulty as well since iPhones/iMessage appears (doesn't mean it is) to be more ubiquitous than Android in the U.S. or at least (again, bolding for that one user) in the area that I'm in.

 

[AustinIllini]

Well, you might not agree with this metric, but: If I switched to a Pixel right now, I wouldn't be able to use RCS since all of my contacts use iMessage. What's the success rate of RCS in this circumstance? 0. I wouldn't be a happy customer. I think (not "know," before that one user jumps on me) many others in the U.S. with an Android would face this difficulty as well since iPhones/iMessage appears (doesn't mean it is) to be more ubiquitous than Android in the U.S. or at least (again, bolding for that one user) in the area that I'm in.

Yes, well the world doesn't actually revolve around you and the Android marketshare in North America is over 50%.

 

[drinkingtea]

Yes, well the world doesn't actually revolve around you and the Android marketshare in North America is over 50%.

Well, I never said it did revolve around me. It doesn't matter whether or not the Android marketshare in North America is over 50 percent. RCS will never be fully successful in the U.S. unless Apple implements RCS as well. Period. This isn't a difficult concept to understand and accept.

 

[noobinator]

I love lamp.

 

[5105973]

Well, I never said it did revolve around me. It doesn't matter whether or not the Android marketshare in North America is over 50 percent. RCS will never be fully successful in the U.S. unless Apple implements RCS as well. Period. This isn't a difficult concept to understand and accept.

I’m walking into the tail end of this conversation but so far your posts on this page match up pretty well with the situation I’ve dealt with in my circle of friends and family for the small number of years I’ve been experimenting with Android phones. But I have to admit I’m starting to see more and more Android phones popping up and our parent group for the first time ever turned to green bubbles due to a new couple joining and they have a Pixel and Motorola. So now I could switch without social repercussions in that circle.

It’s still easier for me to stay with iMessage because our children are all using iPhones and iPads a lot. But even they are now becoming more flexible as some of their friends have moved to Android.

I know my situation can’t necessarily be extrapolated across the entire US, but I’ve also heard of the discussions you’re referencing so I don’t have any issue with what you’re posting. I don’t know if RCS is going to fail without Apple on board, but I do think Apple endorsing it will likely ensure its sucess here. That’s just logical since it would offer a path of zero resistance.

 

[flybub]

RCS will not succeed if all the SMS/MMS app developers do not get on board and implement it in their respective apps. We have such a wide variety of apps we can use that it actually creates a problem when RCS drops. If a dev decides not to incorporate RCS, the feature is dead on arrival.

Textra, Yaata, Signal, Mood, Chomp, EvolveSMS, Handcent are the ones I can think of just off the top of my head and I'm sure there are more. Textra has said they will incorporate RCS as soon as the API is available, but what about the others? What about all the carriers? Google has really dropped the ball when it comes to messaging and I think they were closer 3 years ago with Hangouts than they are now. However, the fact that the US and its carriers are still using SMS is the reason we are in this situation in the first place.

I also agree about Apple incorporating RCS. My entire family including extended family are on iPhone except for me. If there is a video to be sent out, I'm left out of the message because they don't want the video quality compressed because I don't have iMessage. They also refuse to download a chat app because of the beauty and simplicity of iMessage (can't say I blame them).

 

[AustinIllini]

Lots of agreement backed up by anecdotal data.

If your reasoning starts with "I have seen..." or "In my family..." you're not actually supporting your argument as over half of all smart phones in the country run android.
[doublepost=1545231822][/doublepost]

RCS will not succeed if all the SMS/MMS app developers do not get on board and implement it in their respective apps. We have such a wide variety of apps we can use that it actually creates a problem when RCS drops. If a dev decides not to incorporate RCS, the feature is dead on arrival.

Textra, Yaata, Signal, Mood, Chomp, EvolveSMS, Handcent are the ones I can think of just off the top of my head and I'm sure there are more. Textra has said they will incorporate RCS as soon as the API is available, but what about the others? What about all the carriers? Google has really dropped the ball when it comes to messaging and I think they were closer 3 years ago with Hangouts than they are now. However, the fact that the US and its carriers are still using SMS is the reason we are in this situation in the first place.

I also agree about Apple incorporating RCS. My entire family including extended family are on iPhone except for me. If there is a video to be sent out, I'm left out of the message because they don't want the video quality compressed because I don't have iMessage. They also refuse to download a chat app because of the beauty and simplicity of iMessage (can't say I blame them).

This is the strongest assessment. RCS doesn't need Apple. RCS needs all the other platforms and Apps to use it combined with the carrier support. The carriers are on board. Google is on board. RCS is coming and it's likely here to stay regardless of how many blue or green bubbles are in your text circle.

Now, if Google would have done what it should have done with Allo, which is make it android imessage and make it the default messenger on android, RCS would have more problems.

 

[jamezr]

Lots of agreement backed up by anecdotal data.

If your reasoning starts with "I have seen..." or "In my family..." you're not actually supporting your argument as over half of all smart phones in the country run android.
[doublepost=1545231822][/doublepost]
This is the strongest assessment. RCS doesn't need Apple. RCS needs all the other platforms and Apps to use it combined with the carrier support. The carriers are on board. Google is on board. RCS is coming and it's likely here to stay regardless of how many blue or green bubbles are in your text circle.

Now, if Google would have done what it should have done with Allo, which is make it android imessage and make it the default messenger on android, RCS would have more problems.

^^^^^THIS^^^^^
Google should have done exactly that....

 

[drinkingtea]

Have any of you experienced any of these issues or is he just being over-the-top?