What's RCS and the way is it completely different than SMS and iMessage?

For a few years there was a working battle between messaging providers. Regardless of many makes an attempt on Google’s half, there has by no means been a real messaging competitor to Apple’s iMessage.

Google has been pushing one other common customary: RCS. The standoff between the tech giants has been relatively public, with Google goading Apple on many events, and Apple refusing to help RCS for a few years. Then, on November 16, 2023, Apple pivoted, saying it would support RCS in 2024. A second of unity is coming in cross-device messaging, it appears.

Since Verizon embraced Google’s RCS protocol in February 2024, all Android telephones and each main cell service within the US now help RCS messaging. However what precisely is RCS, what options does it have, and which gadgets is it out there on?

Associated

How to set up RCS chats on your Android phone

Do you wish to activate RCS messaging in your Android telephone? Here is find out how to flip it on and every thing you’ll want to learn about this function.

What’s RCS?

The way forward for textual content messaging is right here… type of.

Wealthy communication providers (RCS) is a protocol between cell operators and telephones. The general goal of RCS is to exchange SMS and MMS messaging, the codecs we’re all conversant in as they’ve been round for years. RCS messaging may be very very like WhatsApp, the place dwell chat can happen, together with multimedia help, with every thing dealt with through the information community.

This implies RCS messages could carry extra data, so customers can ship issues like full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages to at least one one other.

The most important benefit RCS Messaging has over SMS — and the rationale it was carried out within the first place — is that it improves upon the SMS/MMS messaging expertise, a lot in the identical method that iMessage does. This implies RCS messages could carry extra data, so customers can ship issues like full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages to at least one one other. Typing indicators and skim receipts are additionally a part of RCS messaging, which is one thing customers absolutely love.

Customers can perform video calls with each other instantly throughout the messaging app, relatively than having to depend on third-party software program. Group messages are attainable, and little issues equivalent to learn receipts and indicators to indicate different customers are typing a message are included as nicely. RCS messages additionally did away with the 160-character restrict at present present in SMS messages.

Companies can use RCS Messaging to ship issues like boarding passes for airways, bundle supply notifications, and bank card fraud alerts.

Is RCS encrypted and safe?

Quick reply: Sure, it is end-to-end

Google Messages makes use of end-to-end encryption to make sure a dialog stays personal between the sender and recipient. Your conversations are encrypted with a key that solely both participant can entry. You’ll be able to confirm in the event you’re at present having an encrypted dialog by in search of the lock icon subsequent to the time stamps on your messages, search for a banner within the thread that exhibits a lock icon together with the members’ names, or search for the lock icon on the ship button.

If you wish to affirm your dialog is personal, you may observe the directions Google lays out here to substantiate verification codes within the Messages app with particular contacts.

Which telephones and carriers help RCS?

RCS is sort of common

Within the US, the main US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Dash and T-Cellular — have agreed on a cross-carrier answer for RCS in a program known as CCMI — Cross-Service Messaging Initiative — and we’re now able the place RCS is globally out there and interoperable, besides Russia. At Google I/O 2023, Google mentioned there have been over 800 million month-to-month RCS customers.

For those who ship an RCS message to somebody whose telephone or cell community does not help it, it will likely be despatched as a daily textual content message.

Does the iPhone help RCS messaging?

RCS is lastly coming to the iPhone in 2024

Apple has announced that it’ll work to help the GSMA Common Profile for RCS on the iPhone in late 2024. Apple’s announcement that it’ll help RCS signifies that Google Messages and Apple iMessage would possibly work collectively, so it is attainable by the tip of the yr, iPhone and Android customers could have cross-platform wealthy messaging. Precisely how common the help is for RCS in iMessage, and what that have appears to be like like when Android messages are supported, stays to be seen, however we count on to know extra after the opening keynote for WWDC 2024 on June 10.

The principle motive why Apple adopted RCS most likely has much less to do with Google and extra to do with elevated stress from the EU, with rulings that messaging apps have to work collectively within the Digital Markets Act.

For a few years, Apple has been beneath stress to help RCS. Google has taunted Apple, with execs making statements about how RCS may make all gadgets work higher collectively and extra securely. Google actually went to city on this as this video exhibits.

The issue — particularly for customers within the US — is that iMessage is dominant and there is been some stress round blue and inexperienced bubbles. iMessage’s bubbles are inexperienced, with the default SMS bubbles being blue. When a message arrives from an Android person, it is a completely different coloration than messages between iPhone customers. There’s been loads of social commentary round this, bordering on discrimination. However that may all come to an finish in 2024.

The principle reason why Apple adopted RCS most likely has much less to do with Google and extra to do with elevated stress from the EU, with rulings that messaging apps have to work collectively within the Digital Markets Act.

How can I see if I’ve RCS help on my telephone?

It ought to be turned on by default, however you are able to do it manually

Firstly, in the event you’re an Android person, it’s best to use the Google Messages app and ensure it is the default messaging app (whereas different apps will help it, Google’s strategy means you’ll want to use its personal app).

Open the app and faucet the menu within the high right-hand nook.
Choose Messages settings.
Choose RCS Chats.
RCS Chats will let you know you probably have help or not, and if it is enabled.

While you check in to a brand new telephone and open Google Messages for the primary time, you may be requested if you wish to activate RCS Messaging. For those who aren’t prompted, you may flip it on through the directions above. In the identical menu, you may additionally discover different choices, equivalent to controlling typing indicators and skim receipts. Observe that you simply want wi-fi or mobile information to ship RCS messages, so there’s additionally the choice to ship an SMS as an alternative if RCS messages cannot be despatched.

For those who’re an iPhone person, the present reply is you do not have entry to RCS messaging, and you may want to attend till Apple formally provides help — one thing we count on to see with iOS 18 later this yr.