There was an ongoing battle between messaging companies for years. Regardless of Google’s many makes an attempt, there was no actual messaging competitor able to competing with Apple’s iMessage.
Google has been pushing for an additional widespread commonplace: RCS. The standoff between the tech giants has been fairly public, with Google repeatedly prodding Apple and Apple refusing to assist RCS for years. Then, Apple made a change on November 16, 2023, saying that it could assist RCS in 2024. A second of unity for cross-device messaging appears to be coming.
Since Verizon adopted Google’s RCS protocol in February 2024, all Android telephones and main US cellular carriers now assist RCS messaging. However what precisely is RCS, what capabilities does it have, and what gadgets can or not it’s used on?
The right way to arrange RCS chat on Android telephone
Do you need to allow RCS messaging operate in your Android telephone? Here is tips on how to flip it on and every part it’s worthwhile to learn about this function.
What’s RCS?
The way forward for newsletters is right here… type of.
Wealthy Communication Providers (RCS) is an settlement between cellular operators and telephones. The general purpose of RCS is to switch SMS and MMS messaging, codecs we’re all accustomed to as a result of they’ve been round for a few years. RCS messaging is similar to WhatsApp, permitting for reside chat, together with multimedia assist, and every part is dealt with over the information community.
Because of this RCS messages can carry extra info, so customers can ship one another content material corresponding to full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages.
RCS Messaging’s largest benefit over SMS – and the explanation it was carried out within the first place – is that it improves the SMS/MMS messaging expertise, a lot in the identical manner as iMessage. Because of this RCS messages can carry extra info, so customers can ship one another content material corresponding to full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages. Typing indicators and browse receipts are additionally a part of RCS messaging, one thing customers are certain to understand.
Customers can video name one another instantly inside the messaging app with out having to depend on third-party software program. Group messaging is feasible, and little issues like learn receipts and indicators displaying different customers typing messages are additionally included. RCS messages additionally take away the present 160-character restrict in SMS messages.
Companies can use RCS Messaging to ship issues like airline boarding passes, bundle supply notifications, and bank card fraud alerts.
Is RCS encrypted and safe?
Brief reply: Sure, it is end-to-end
Google Messages makes use of end-to-end encryption to make sure conversations between sender and recipient stay personal. Your conversations are encrypted with a key that solely any participant can entry. You are able to do this by in search of the lock icon subsequent to the message timestamp, in search of a banner within the thread that reveals the lock icon together with the participant’s title, or in search of the lock icon on the ship button.
If you wish to verify that your dialog is personal, you possibly can observe the directions listed right here by Google to verify the verification code with a selected contact within the Messages app.
Which cell phones and telecom operators assist RCS?
RCS is nearly common
Within the US, the foremost US carriers – Verizon, AT&T, Dash and T-Cell – have agreed on an RCS cross-carrier answer in a program known as CCMI (Cross-Provider Messaging Initiative), and we now have RCS in Obtainable and interoperable worldwide (besides Russia). At Google I/O 2023, Google stated there have been greater than 800 million month-to-month RCS customers.
For those who ship an RCS message to somebody whose telephone or cellular community would not assist RCS messages, the message might be despatched as an everyday SMS.
Does iPhone assist RCS messages?
RCS lastly involves iPhone in 2024
Apple introduced that it’s going to assist the GSMA common profile of RCS on iPhone by the top of 2024. Apple’s announcement that it’s going to assist RCS signifies that Google Messages and Apple iMessage may match collectively, so it could be attainable earlier than the top of this 12 months, iPhone and Android customers may have wealthy messaging throughout platforms. It stays to be seen how widespread assist for RCS might be in iMessage, and what the expertise might be like when supporting Android messages, however we hope to be taught extra after the opening keynote at WWDC 2024 on June 10.
The principle cause for Apple’s adoption of RCS could have much less to do with Google and extra to do with rising strain from the European Union, which dominated that messaging apps have to work collectively below the Digital Markets Act.
Apple has been below strain to assist RCS for years. Google mocked Apple, with executives issuing a press release about how RCS could make all gadgets work higher and extra securely collectively. As this video reveals, Google is actually engaged on this.
The issue is, particularly for US customers, iMessage dominates, and there is some rigidity between the blue and inexperienced bubbles. iMessage bubbles are inexperienced, and default textual content message bubbles are blue. When Android customers ship messages, the colours are completely different from the colours of messages despatched between iPhone customers. There was lots of social commentary surrounding this, bordering on discrimination. However that would all finish in 2024.
The principle cause for Apple’s adoption of RCS could have much less to do with Google and extra to do with rising strain from the European Union, which dominated that messaging apps have to work collectively below the Digital Markets Act.
The right way to test if my telephone helps RCS?
The preset ought to flip it on, however you possibly can flip it on manually
First, in case you’re an Android person, it’s best to use the Google Messages app and ensure it is the default messaging app (though different apps will assist it, Google’s method means you may want to make use of your personal app).
- Open the app and click on on the menu within the higher proper nook.
- select message settings.
- select RCS Chat.
- RCS chat will inform you if assist is offered and if it is enabled.
Once you log in to your new telephone and open Google Information for the primary time, you may be requested if you wish to allow RCS info. If not prompted, you possibly can flip it on by following the directions above. In the identical menu, you may additionally discover different choices, corresponding to controlling the typing indicator and studying receipts. Please notice that you just want wi-fi or mobile information to ship RCS messages, so if you’re unable to ship RCS messages, you might also select to ship SMS.
For those who’re an iPhone person, the present reply is that you could’t entry RCS messaging and you will want to attend till Apple formally provides assist – one thing we count on to see in iOS 18 later this 12 months.
iPhone is getting RCS messaging assist, what it means for you
Probably the most surprising information this 12 months is that Apple is including RCS to the iPhone.