Users with smartphones running on Android, developed by Alphabet Inc.’s GOOG GOOGL Google and those with devices having Apple Inc.’s AAPL iOS operating system, have long battled the difference between Green and Blue bubbles, but a new player on the block might have something interesting to add in the mix.
What Happened: On Tuesday, popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee shared a video on his social media handles.
He started by talking about how a smartphone startup company began its journey with a “bang” and got a decent start in Europe, India, and some Asian markets but didn’t really see any pickup from the U.S.
See Also: iPhone Vs Android Users: Who Upgrades More Frequently?
Now, according to Brownlee, there are a couple of reasons behind this. For instance, most people in the U.S. just walk into a carrier store to buy their phones. “So, if you don’t have a deal with a carrier, then things might not go well for you there.”
However, it is the actual statistics that make a difference. The iPhone has around 50% market share in the U.S., which is higher than the global average and steadily growing every year. Moreover, 87% of the teenagers in the country have iPhones.
“It’s the only way to get into all the group chats with their friends. It’s the only way to get in on all the inside jokes and socializations that happen after school from the FaceTimes to the iMessages and all the things that are just iPhone only,” Brownlee said.
It is pertinent to mention here that users of Android smartphones often find themselves in a messaging divide when interacting with iPhone users, marked by the distinction between “green bubbles” (Android) and “blue bubbles” (iPhone).
“And so that’s why that dichotomy exists. But, you know, you get the idea. So you are that smartphone company. You’re in this position. You’re trying to break out in the U.S. What do you do?”
The smartphone company Brownlee has been talking about since the beginning of the video is Nothing, which Carl Pei founded. Brownlee said Nothing has decided to break out in the U.S. market by addressing the heart of the problem by building iMessage into their Android phone.
The Nothing Phone 2’s approach involves integrating iMessage through the exclusive “Nothing Chats” app. This app has been co-developed by Sunbird.
According to MKBHD, “So you can just sign up for an Apple account without any Apple products. You sign up for an Apple ID, and then you sign into the app, and it will give you as many iMessage features as possible without actually having an iPhone.”
While Brownlee admitted that signing in to the app is “pretty intuitive,” and after a couple of steps, “you are a blue bubble,” plus high-quality media exchange is working.
However, concerns about security loom large.
Brownlee cautioned, “Signing in with your Apple ID onto a device that you don’t own is an enormous security issue.” He pointed out that the potential risks of using a remote Mac Mini for routing messages, though encrypted, could be huge.
The YouTuber also said that when he asked Pei about the potential responses from Apple, the Nothing founder indicated that Cupertino might not do much about it.
“Apple kind of can’t really retaliate publicly because they’ve already been up against so much antitrust pressure,” Brownlee said, adding, “They’ll probably just quietly sweep it under the rug
and maybe point out some security risks involved with the whole thing.”
Photo via Shutterstock
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