Families and friend groups across Florida are all too familiar with the frustration that comes from trying to communicate across different devices and platforms. New research shows just how pronounced this “blue bubble vs green bubble” divide has become in the Sunshine State.
A recent survey found that 62% of Floridians believe there is a rift between iPhone users (“blue bubble” people) and Android users (“green bubble” people). This device divide is causing real problems in maintaining relationships – about 29% of Floridians reported having a close friend or family member they speak to less because of incompatible devices. This figure is significantly higher than in Washington DC, where only 17% say device differences have strained a relationship.
Dating and romance are impacted too. A striking 10% of Florida iPhone users report they would not go on a second date with someone who has an Android phone. This is to avoid the dreaded switch from blue to green bubbles in text chats, which iPhone users dislike. Comparatively, only 4% of New York iPhone users say they would rule out a second date based on someone having an Android device.
What exactly drives people crazy about cross-device messaging? For 30% of Floridians, the most annoying part is losing the ability to react to photos or messages, and instead getting clunky “Liked Photo” or “Laughed at Photo” texts. Fuzzy, thumbnail-sized videos sent via SMS are another pain point of cross-device communication.
Fortunately, there is a way to bridge the blue bubble-green bubble divide. WhatsApp is gaining popularity in Florida as a way to communicate seamlessly across different smartphones and operating systems. With WhatsApp, group chats have more features like polls and controls. Video calling is high quality. And reactions, photos, and videos are sent in high resolution to everyone – regardless of device.
WhatsApp also provides default end-to-end encryption for all personal messages, keeping conversations private and secure. No one can read users’ messages – not even WhatsApp itself. As more Floridians adopt WhatsApp to stay connected with their inner circles, perhaps this “bubble barrier” will start to fade away.
