Android Users Can Soon Add Emoji Reactions to iPhone Texts With Annoying Catch

Google today announced that Android users will be able to add emoji reactions to SMS texts received from iPhone users in Google's Messages app. This feature and other improvements to the app will begin rolling out in the coming weeks.

Android Emoji Reactions to iPhone Messages
Given that the Messages app on iOS lacks support for the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol, emoji reactions from Android users will appear as annoying follow-up SMS text messages on the iPhone, according to CNET. For example, the message will say something along the lines of "Joe reacted with Heart to 'let's go to the movies tonight.'"

Google's head of its Messages app Jan Jedrzejowicz told CNET that it will be up to Apple to decide whether or not to parse those texts into the appropriate Tapback reaction on the iPhone, similar to how Tapbacks now appear properly on Android.

The feature seems to be at least partly an attempt at Google encouraging Apple to support RCS on the iPhone, as this would eliminate the annoying follow-up SMS messages. Google launched a campaign earlier this year pushing for Apple to adopt RCS, but Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested the feature has not been highly requested by iPhone users.

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...

Top Rated Comments

fwmireault Avatar
34 months ago
I know it’s a very unpopular opinion here, but all of the efforts in the past year to improve text communications between iPhones and android have been made by Google, and it is a shame that Apple is doing nothing on their end. Don’t know if RCS is the necessary answer, but it is as terrible for android and iPhone users to have all this mismatch in features and functionalities

Downvote that all you want, this is what I really think, and I will certainly not defend Apple on that
Score: 73 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
34 months ago

I have major trust issues with Android phones. Hopefully, Google will not collect any data from iPhone users.
If Apple is okay with making Google the default search engine on their devices and Apple cares so much about our privacy, then that means Google is safe, right?

You need to trust Apple's deci$ion$. Apple knows what's be$t for [s]us[/s] them.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MallardDuck Avatar
34 months ago
Why would Apple invest any time and money supporting a proprietary google fork of RCS, especially when google's commitment to a technology lasts about as long as a civil conversation on social media?
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
34 months ago
sw1tcher reacted with a Roll Eyes and Face Palm to "Android Users Can Soon Add Emoji Reactions to iPhone Texts With Annoying Catch"
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Joe Rossignol Avatar
34 months ago

iMessage already does the exact same thing to an Android user.
When ever an iMessage user likes a message from an android user, it does the exact same thing. Sends a separate text message that the reader like your text.

I don't really see a problem here. Android users get the same response in SMS when I like their message. Maybe rather than fighting, we could just get the two companies to work together to not hurt consumers?
That's not true anymore actually. Google fixed it earlier this year:



Attachment Image
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
34 months ago

So you never text anyone who owns a non-Apple device?
I try not to. If I do. There are major boundaries and limitations set.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)