Apple takes credit for Google adding iMessage reactions on Android

Earlier than Google’s “Get The Message” marketing campaign in August, Android’s Messages app was up to date with iMessage reactions at first of this 12 months. In a really bizarre flip of occasions, Apple seems to be taking credit score for Google including iMessage reactions on Android.

As spotted by David Imel at the moment, Apple’s iOS 16 “All New Options” web page lists the next addition for the Messages app:

SMS Tapbacks on Android

React to SMS messages with a Tapback, and a corresponding emoji response will seem on recipients’ Android units.

That textual content was added to the web page not too long ago, presumably with the launch of iOS 16 earlier this month. It was not listed throughout the iOS 16 preview cycle over the summer time.

In late January, Google introduced that its Messages app would convert iMessage reactions (generally known as “Tapbacks“) that iPhone customers can ship. As an alternative of them showing as an annoying textual content (e.g., Liked “Testing” within the instance beneath), it will get translated and seems within the nook of the message bubble, just like the iPhone-to-iPhone expertise.

Apple seems to be taking credit score for Google including iMessage reactions to Android’s Messages app in a reasonably odd determination that’s not factual. Whereas Apple’s description is reflective of the tip consumer expertise, iMessage reactions on Android will not be the results of the iPhone’s new working system or something Apple did/contributed. This function was rolled out throughout the iOS 15 period, and it’s not out there for all Android SMS/RCS apps, simply Google’s default consumer.

One doable rationalization is that Apple’s advertising and marketing copy is conflating that Google function with an analogous one added by iOS 16. If an iPhone proprietor is in a bunch chat with Android and different iOS customers, all messages are despatched through SMS, as a substitute of iMessage. Earlier than iOS 16, Tapbacks could be despatched as SMS. In these instances, iOS 16 now, like Google, converts Tapbacks for iPhone customers in order that simply the emoji seems. Nonetheless, if that’s the function Apple is describing – it doesn’t seem on the web page – the copy wouldn’t want to say Android.

This after all follows Tim Cook dinner’s “I don’t hear our customers asking that we put lots of vitality on that” assertion on RCS for iPhone earlier this month.