Google has released the latest installment in its popular #BestPhonesForever advertising campaign, continuing its playful jabs at Apple’s iPhone. The series, which personifies smartphones from both companies, has become known for its humorous critiques of Apple’s mobile devices.
This new ad focuses on a significant recent development in mobile messaging: Apple’s adoption of the RCS (Rich Communication Services) standard. With the release of iOS 18 earlier this week, Apple has finally integrated RCS support after years of persistent advocacy from Google.
The implementation of RCS marks a turning point in cross-platform communication. For the first time, iPhone and Android users can now exchange high-quality images and videos via text messages, regardless of their device’s operating system.
In the ad below, Google trolls Apple for being late to the RCS party.
Unlike many other parts of the world, where messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger have become dominant, Americans have largely remained loyal to traditional text messaging. This unique situation can be traced back to the early bundling of text messages in US phone plans, a practice adopted much later in other regions.
Google’s new video, part of the ongoing #BestPhonesForever series, attempts to capitalize on this cultural quirk with its trademark humor. However, the effectiveness of the ad’s comedic approach may largely depend on the viewer’s stance in the iOS versus Android debate. The video may even come across as cringeworthy for some viewers.