Imagine this: You’re an Android user who just transferred to a new school. You’re eager to make new friends and get to know your classmates, so you approach a friendly group of kids. They seem great, and they invite you to join their group chat. You’re just a text message away from making friends, right? But, as you excitedly type your message, you notice a cruel twist of fate—your bubble turns green! Panic ensues as the iPhone users exchange glances. You, the unfortunate Android user, have unwittingly unveiled your dark secret.
This hidden animosity that has emerged in the secret world of high school group chats, one that’s pitting teens against each other in an epic struggle for social dominance, is a rivalry of epic proportions where the phone you carry determines your social status. As stated by Insider, iPhones have long been the dominant phone choice among Gen Z, who make up “a third of all iPhone users in the US.” In contrast, Gen Z only makes up 10% of the country’s Android users. Therefore, an unspoken hierarchy has been established between those who use iPhones and those who use Androids. iPhone users—the “aristocrats” of the smartphone realm—have decided that they can’t be seen engaging in digital discourse with Android users, and it’s all because of the devilish green bubbles that haunt their messages.
However, some say it isn’t just the green bubble stigma. Even in group chats where Android users are included, another layer of discrimination exists. On the phone screens of iPhone users, there’s a constant flurry of digital excitement, as users challenge others to epic rounds of GamePigeon games like 8 Ball, Darts, and Word Hunt. Moreover, they revel in their ability to send a dazzling array of effects, which include fireworks, confetti, and invisible ink. Android users can only watch from the sidelines, their green bubbles left in the cold.
But, to be honest, who even needs these iMessage games in group chats anyway? Who wants to get hundreds of text notifications from just two people playing a two-player only game? The point of group chats is communication. Even if they can’t receive the fancy iMessage effects, Android phones receive written messages without any problem. It is ridiculous that some iPhone users are choosing to exclude their Android-using peers just because of the color of message bubbles and the lack of fancy (and honestly insubstantial) features.
People caught up in the “blue vs. green” madness should remember that beneath the playful competition and camaraderie lies the absurdity of our smartphone obsessions. The color of your messages or the fireworks that follow shouldn’t be a reason to exclude Android users. Ultimately, the green bubbles are just as capable of sparking laughter, fostering connections, and igniting fun conversations as their blue counterparts. So please—let’s stop judging people by the color of their message bubble, but rather by the content of their character.
Sincerely,
An iPhone User and an Android User
