Earlier quoted context omitted.
iMessage popularity has little to do with status and everything to do with iPhone users refusing to use other messaging apps. If you want to text an iPhone and you don’t have iMessage chances are you will be forced to use sms which is utterly trash. I’ve been unable to convince my friends to use a messaging app so if I want to text them I pretty much need an iPhone.
The fact that it's impossible to convince any of your friends to use something that works with all phones and not just iPhones arguably does have something to do with status. In Europe, where less than half of all people (across social strata) use iPhones/iOS, this simply doesn't fly, so there is no "green bubble problem".
I think its more about the cultural critical mass than status. Most people already feel they have too many apps cluttering their screen, and at least in the US they have friends who only use iMessage, so they need iMessage. Once youve decided you need iMessage pretty easy to also decide not to bother with other messaging apps. The network effect is a huge problem for getting people to switch.