What you should know
– Drake released a new album called “For All the Dogs”
– The album includes a song called “First Person Shooter” that mentions Android phones and green text bubbles.
– When an Android user joins a group chat with iPhone users, iMessage features are replaced by SMS and MMS texting, and the text bubbles turn from blue to green.
– Drake had previously mentioned green text bubbles in another song called “Texts Go Green.”
Full Story
Drake’s new album “For All the Dogs” dropped on Friday, and one track in particular is catching the attention of iOS and Android users alike. Titled “First Person Shooter,” the song not only mentions Android phones, but also references the infamous green text bubbles that appear when an Android user joins an iPhone group chat. As many know, when an Android user joins such a chat, the iMessage features vanish, replaced by standard SMS and MMS texting. The iconic blue text bubbles turn green, an aspect that Drake cleverly incorporates into his lyrics.
In the song, Drake humorously raps about ignoring someone’s phone call while subtly mocking the use of Android phones with the line, “She got an Android, her messages is lime green.” It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Drake has alluded to green text bubbles in his tracks. His previous album, “Honestly, Nevermind,” featured a song titled “Texts Go Green” that addressed the same topic.
However, the Android team at Google didn’t let Drake’s reference go unnoticed. In fact, they took to Twitter to express their enthusiasm for the song. Google tweeted, “The Android team thinks Drake’s new song ‘Texts Go Green’ is a real banger,” along with an official lyric explainer video. The post humorously highlights the inconvenience iPhone users face when trying to text non-iPhone users or when they get blocked. Google hints at the necessity for Apple to adopt the RCS platform, not only to address these issues but also to enhance text message security.
Interestingly, Apple had recently faced possible pressure from the EU to support RCS. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) took issue with Apple’s iMessage being considered a “gatekeeper” and required the company to open up iMessage to support RCS within its member countries. Fortunately for Apple, the number of iMessage users in the EU fell below the threshold stated in the DMA, saving the company from this obligation.
Overall, Drake’s inclusion of Android-related lyrics in his album has sparked a lot of conversation among smartphone users. It’s intriguing to see how technology and pop culture intersect, bringing attention to the ongoing debate surrounding iPhone’s iMessage and the advantages and disadvantages it presents.
