iMessage is an integral part of the Apple ecosystem – and probably the most loved component of the platform. Ask any iDevice owner about the one thing they admire a lot in the Apple ecosystem and the most common answer that you may get is – The Blue Bubble! To discover how much the messaging app is wanted on other popular platforms, simply type in “iMessage for” in the Google Search. And most of the results you will find will be for getting iMessage on other platforms.
To get the right answer, I have compared the two messaging apps on four major parameters: User-Interface, Seamless Experience, Features, and Security & Privacy. So, whether you are sitting on the fence waiting for an iMessage competitor to finally arrive on Android or the curiosity has driven you to explore the differences between RCS Messaging and iMessage, this detailed piece can offer you the right answer.
Before getting into the comparison mode, let’s delve a little deeper as to why it has it taken so long for Google to introduce an iMessage like messaging app on the Android platform.
The second reason behind the delay is that for making RCS work, Google is reliant on the network carriers none of which are known for their efficient and on time delivery of of software updates and products. Basically, the development of RCS had too many factors that were not in Google’s hands and that’s why RCS was delayed so much. Thankfully, now there are ways to enable RCS on your Android device even when your carrier has not implemented it. With that said, let’s begin our comparison, shall we?
While the UI of a messaging app may not matter to many people, it is indispensable for most users (me included). No matter how feature-rich an app is, if it has a clunky interface that warrants a good amount of learning curve, few people will find it appealing. Fortunately, both RCS messaging and iMessage sport a clutter-free user-interface. While the messages view of both these apps doesn’t look pleasing to the eyes, the individual conversation thread seems more intuitive.
However, if you were to force me to pick one, I would go with iMessage. Why? Well, I really love the Apple-esque interface that the app features. The app drawer looks really cool and offers some neat customization. Moreover, it also opens the door for a whole new world (more on this later). Furthermore, Animoji and Memoji (even though many find them nothing but gimmicks) have gone slightly deeper into my personal roster of fun-loving messaging tools. So, it’s a little hard for me to give up on them all. Beyond personal preference, this round ends in a tie.
Seamless experience and iMessage goes hand in hand. Whether you are on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, you can seamlessly communicate with other iDevice users. Probably, the best part about the blue bubble is that it has a pretty similar interface across devices and work efficiently. Thus, if you love using iMessage on your one device, chances are you would enjoy every bit of it on your other device. Of course, you will be restricted inside the so-called walled garden but as long as you relish interacting with the people having iDevices, you wouldn’t have any complaint.
The good thing is that Google has already taken the matter in its own hand and started rolling it out to device owners directly in a few countries ( i.e France and the UK). So, the situation could change dramatically in the future. Therefore, I don’t give much weight to this temporary situation. And that has tilted the tide in favor of Google Messages app – even though it might be by a whisker!
Setting iMessage vs RCS Chat in terms of features seems to be nothing but an unfair act. Apple’s messaging app has been around for several years and has probably become the gold standard of what a top-notch messaging app should be, while Google’s offering has just started out. That being said, the feature set of RCS at its start is not that bad either. RCS messaging is good enough to send a variety of files like images, videos, PDFs and even APKs. It’s also touted to allow making payment securely. If iMessage claims to provide a seamless video calling experience, the Chat is not behind either thanks to the integration with Duo.
Security And Privacy
We can’t have a meaningful discussion about RCS Chat vs iMessage without touching security and privacy, can we? More than the eye-catching screen effects or the fun-loving bubble-effects, what puts iMessage ahead of the curve is the robust end-to-end encryption. While almost every other messaging platform like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram claim to offer a top-of-the-line shield to the private conversations, none of them enjoy the same level of trust that iMessage boasts. Part of the reason why the blue bubble has a clear edge over rivals is the solid reputation Apple has built over the years.
So, whether you are a professional who shares sensitive information with your colleague or a normal joe who wants to keep the personal conversation away from the sight of the prying eyes, iMessage has to be your pick – without an iota of doubt. The battle between RCS and iMessage on privacy and security front seems too lopsided to even bring it into the discussion.
Having taken a close look at what these two popular messaging apps have to offer, I must say that iMessage has come out as the winner. While Google’s Chat has got most of the basics covered, it is still in the early days. Whether it’s efficiency or security or top-notch features, it is nowhere near Apple’s offering – at least for now. But I do think that if the search giant doesn’t give up on this and continue to enhance the functionality while still keeping the security intact, the battle could come a bit close in a few years from now.
