Daniel Davis Week 11: How Apple Learned to Harness the Power of Color

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 If you have ever received a text from someone using a Samsung or Google brand phone while having an Apple product, it's very likely that you remember the green text bubble that differentiates this conversation from all others.

I have felt the effects of this change in colour and even associated it with negative feelings. This confused me as I don't believe Apple products to be inherently better than other tech brands. I don't believe there to be a large difference between those who choose different tech brands. Yet I have still felt this reluctant feelings to communicate with a green text bubble.

Why?

On a superficial note, the blue text blurb apparent when receiving a text from an imessage is a less harsh visual than the dark green blurb that almosts jumps out from the white background at the recipient.

However there is also a more rational reason to be wary of the green blurb.

The blue blurb signifies an imessage while the green blurb signifies any different encryption (including no encryption). Apple has decided to keep the distinction even between imessage and other widely used encryptions likely to avoid altogether the debate of what encryptions they approve of.

Green blurbs have the potential to originate from SMS systems which can be less safe than other methods. According to Cite Technology Solutions, the SMS texts lack the encryptions that protect "your communications from getting intercepted by hackers or other unwanted third parties while going through networks." This knowledge makes the grouping of the encryptions of rival tech companies with SMS systems increasingly powerful.

Ultimately Apple wants to strengthen their brand and retain their customers. 

It can be surprising how impactful of a tool a seemingly simple change in background color can be.

Comments

  1. Keshavi KanagalingamFebruary 19, 2024 at 10:26 AM

    Hi Daniel!
    I enjoyed reading your blog about how Apple uses different colors in their text messages and how that can translate into somewhat negative feelings in their users. This is a topic that I never really spent time thinking about, but reading your blog has made me realize that I have subconsciously felt a sort of apprehension about other brands of devices because of the fact that Apple conveys the message that other products are not on the same level as theirs through utilizing the power of color. I realize that seeing the green text blurb is something I unknowingly did associate with more negative things than positive things, and it is something that served to pull me away from getting a phone that wasn’t an iPhone.

    In regards to your writing, I found your blog extremely easy to follow and straightforward while simultaneously being interesting and engaging. I appreciate your introduction paragraph, as it is an experience I can relate to, and it effectively drew me into reading the rest of your blog! Additionally, I like how you separated the question, “Why?,” into its own paragraph, as it served as an effective transition between the main focuses in your blog.

    Another reason why I feel a sort of hesitation when noticing the color difference when texting someone who does not have an Apple device is because when I see the background color of my messages switch from blue to green, I immediately think that something is wrong and is in need of fixing. For example, even when messaging someone with an iPhone from an iPhone, there are times in which the connection fails and the messages are sent as green text messages, rather than the typical blue iMessages. This use of the green background for messages when some error occurred within the connection systems also conveys the message that there is an error that occurs when messaging someone with an Android device from an iPhone.

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  2. Aishwarya GogiFebruary 21, 2024 at 6:38 PM

    Hi Daniel! Your blog was an intriguing analysis of the way messages are sent through iPhones. Personally, I find receiving green messages harsh compared to receiving blue messages. This post reminds me of how I find receiving a message in a green bubble distinguishes a message that should be read over a message that needs to be read. I find that whenever I receive a message in green, I have a tendency to read the message rather than ignore it. I agree that receiving a text in the blue text blurb is less harsh. I am not familiar with using other brands besides Apple so it’s interesting to learn how green blurbs have the potential to come from SMS systems. I find it also frightening because getting intercepted by hackers could lead to consequences like data manipulation or identity theft.

    The organization of your blog is concise and straight to the point. The connection to Apple’s brand provides a progression from personal experience to broader ideas while guiding the reader to explore the topic of the risk of SMS systems. The start of a question that introduces the experience of receiving green text bubbles helps to relate to iPhone users, providing the reader with information on what the blog focuses on. You also provide a personal reflection that acknowledges what you think and others think within the feelings towards the tech brands. This way of organizing your points not only makes it clear, but interesting to learn about the insides of technology.

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