It may be natural to want a status symbol (although that drive probably varies wildly between individuals), but I find it sad that having an iPhone is equated to status.

“Look at me in my expensive walled garden!”

Disclaimer: I also dislike Google’s business practices in different ways

This is a figment of someones imagination and demonstrates the entire trope is backed by people with no intelligence, but lots of competitiveness.

Your statement is not correct. Bill Gates uses Android phones:

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-uses-android-smartphone-samsung-galaxy-fold-not-iphone-2023-1

Only the wealthy people who gained none of that wealth themselves.

There are Android phones that are more expensive than the most expensive Apple phone you can get.

Samsung Fold is 2150€ for example.

Not one single person on this planet ever had to get an iPhone

Sounds like an opportunity to educate your kids, and by proxy, others.

Kid’s bubble-shaming is no different than any other stupid shit kids have always done.

Don’t feed into it.

And if you really want to have some fun, host something like the iMessage-Matrix bridge mentioned above, or other messaging apps. When your kid shows up as a blue bubble, but friends notice he’s on Android, they’ll be confused…another learning opportunity.

Don’t do it man. Don’t let them get your son.