The war between phone ecosystems rages on.
Andrew Hoyle/CNETIf you're an iPhone user, there's a moment when you text someone for the first time, a moment of truth before you know whether that text bubble is going to turn blue or green.
The distinction here, in case anyone has a firm anti-texting policy and has never done it before, is that the blue message bubble means the recipient of your text is also an iPhone user. A green bubble signifies they're not. So wherever this relationship takes you, the way will be paved with good old SMS texts.
It was in considering this moment not long ago -- the Schrödinger's text bubble, if you will -- that I started wondering how much it actually matters to daters. In my world, opinions on various technology platforms and devices are rampant. There are camps of devoted followers who will die on different hills clutching a flag for everything from operating systems to browsers along the lines of "Linux or bust, baby."
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Not everyone holds these strong opinions, though. So, I reached out to OkCupid, which makes a regular habit of asking its daters all sorts of questions, from whether they pay the extra 50 cents for guacamole to whether they're the type to clap when their plane lands.
Using the Story feature on its Instagram account, which has more than 55,000 followers, they asked whether folks would message someone who doesn't have an iPhone. Thirty-one percent said they wouldn't.
Guys. That's more than a quarter.
Twenty-seven percent added that green bubbles are worse than mansplaining. Which is just, *chef's kiss.* NOTHING should be worse than mansplaining. Rotten milk. Wet socks. My downstairs neighbor. NOTHING.
Before you go raggin' on those Apple fans, though, OkCupid has also had the question of iPhone v. Android in its app since 2018, and 58% of US respondents say it's Android always, versus 38% who believe in blue bubbles, forever and ever amen. And if you're wondering about that stray 4%, because you did the math in your head, you clever thing, they're still rocking flip phones and, we (me) here at Love Syncs applaud them for it.
Never stop enjoying the satisfying snap of a shut flip phone.
So where does all this leave us? With a stark reminder that, when it comes to dating, folks can get pretty hung up on characteristics that don't really impact the relationship. It's easy to create a mental list of all the dealbreakers (must love chinchillas!) that can get in the way of basic compatibility.
Granted, being on the same ecosystem or using the same services can make life easier -- there are families that run their lives off Google Calendar or share Spotify accounts. You might prefer your older relatives have similar devices to you to make troubleshooting that much easier.
All that can come later. The devices you use or the platforms you employ aren't your personality. What's more, never underestimate humans' capacity for change. I know a couple who survived an iPhone/Windows phone phase, and they're STILL MARRIED. And let's not forget that Apple's share of the smartphone market globally is about 13%, according to IDC, so there's not a small chance that Apple and Android users are going to meet up in the streets of Verona at some point.
I bite my thumb at you, sir, and your rigid opinions on ecosystems.
So, the next time you're waiting on that moment of truth... blue or green... remember that in reality, there are more-pressing matters when it comes to judging who's compatible with you and who isn't.
And always get the guac.
CNET's Love Syncs is an advice column focusing on online dating. If you've got a question about finding love via app, send it to erin.carson@cbsinteractive.com for consideration.
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