T-Mobile has announced plans to expand its collaboration with Google across a wide array of customer experiences later this year, including establishing Messages by Google as the default rich messaging solution for millions of T-Mobile customers with Android smartphones; promoting Pixel and Android devices and the unique experiences they can deliver on T-Mobile’s industry-leading 5G network; harnessing Google One as the preferred phone backup and cloud storage solution; and embracing YouTube TV as T-Mobile’s premium TV solution.
“This is a win for Android users and an even greater win for the Android ecosystem,” said Hiroshi Lockheimer, Senior Vice President of Platforms and Ecosystems at Google. “T-Mobile and Google have been working together to champion Android since the very beginning with the launch of the T-Mobile G1 in 2008. We’re taking what has already been a long and very successful relationship, and building on it to bring Android customers even more features and services.”
“We’re building on our decade-long relationship with Google to give customers an even better experience with the world’s very best products and services offered by Android, Pixel and YouTube,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “The world’s most popular smartphone platform with Android, a broad range of premium Pixel devices, an upgraded, modern messaging experience on Android and a robust entertainment offering with YouTube TV — it’s the best of Google, combined with the nation’s largest and fastest 5G network on T-Mobile.”
With more than 2.5B Android devices in use today, the Android smartphone platform is loved by users around the world. And T-Mobile has been there since the beginning. More than a decade ago, T-Mobile was the original Android launch partner for the T-Mobile G1, the first phone powered by Android. Fast forward to 2021, and T-Mobile is still the leader with the most Android smartphone customers in the U.S.
As part of this multi-year collaboration, T-Mobile plans to reinforce its investment in the Android ecosystem by showcasing the wide range of Android devices available, including the full suite of Pixel devices, Android TV OS devices and more. This collaboration with Google is part of a broader initiative for T-Mobile US and Deutsche Telekom AG who are working across the DT group of companies to create a better, more consistent messaging experience for customers around the world.
Messaging, Upgraded
Google and T-Mobile are working together to lay the foundation for a more consistent, secure messaging experience worldwide. The improved Android messaging experience with Messages will help T-Mobile customers be some of the first to enjoy that next-gen experience.
T-Mobile plans to make Messages the default messaging experience on all Android devices, including support for the advanced messaging capabilities of Rich Communication Services (RCS). With Messages, all Android customers on T-Mobile will continue to get advanced chat features like:
sending and receiving better quality photos and videos
chatting over Wi-Fi or data
knowing when your message is read
sharing reactions, and
enjoying more dynamic and engaging group chats
T-Mobile and Google recognize that chat conversations are private and the importance of keeping personal information safe. In November of last year, Google began rolling out end-to-end encryption for one-on-one RCS conversations between people who use Messages and have chat features enabled. The rollout began with beta testers and will continue throughout 2021.
T-Mobile’s Android smartphone customers were the first in the nation to enjoy enhanced messaging capabilities when T-Mobile launched RCS messaging back in 2015. Since then, T-Mobile has supported upgrades in RCS messaging technology, enabling new texting features along with cross-carrier and global compatibility. And, T-Mobile has been among the first North American providers that has integrated their RCS messaging platform with Google’s, enabling T-Mobile customers to get this upgraded experience with over half a billion people across the world who use Messages and choose to turn on chat features.
As messaging becomes a platform for everything from commerce to search to customer support, Google and T-Mobile also plan to build a messaging business together. The companies will be able to empower businesses to engage their customers in new ways with Messages, conduct commerce, support and communicate more easily.
