T-Mobile and Google Deliver Best-in-Class Mobile and TV Experiences, and Showcase Range of Android Devices
T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) is enhancing its collaboration with Google, making Messages by Google the default messaging service for Android users and promoting Pixel devices on its 5G network. The partnership aims to improve messaging with features like RCS, alongside offering Google One for cloud storage and YouTube TV as a premium entertainment solution. This collaboration builds on T-Mobile's long history with Android, positioning it as a leader in the ecosystem with over 2.5 billion Android devices globally.
- T-Mobile is establishing Messages by Google as the default messaging solution for Android users, enhancing customer experience.
- The expanded collaboration includes promoting Pixel devices on T-Mobile’s 5G network, potentially increasing device sales.
- Integration of Google One for secure cloud storage offers customers peace of mind regarding data safety.
- The partnership will showcase enhanced messaging features via RCS, improving communication for users.
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T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) today 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.
Accelerating the Pixel and Android Ecosystem
T-Mobile plans to expand the array of Pixel and other Android devices the company will carry. Pixels are phones that provide all the helpfulness of Google and get better over time, with regular software and security updates. Together, the companies will showcase the power of 5G on T-Mobile’s network through Pixel and the ecosystem of Android devices.
Seamless Phone Backup and Expanded Cloud Storage
In addition, T-Mobile and Google One will make it easy for everyone to safely and securely back up their mobile data and restore it to a new phone with Google One.
Google One has expanded cloud storage plans for complete backup of mobile devices and across top Google apps. T-Mobile customers can rest easy knowing that all their data, memories, and files are safely stored in the cloud and protected by Google’s industry leading security.
Mobile Entertainment Innovation
T-Mobile and Google are also teaming up to offer YouTube TV as T-Mobile’s pre
