What's RCS messaging? The Android texting service defined

Whereas there have been many makes an attempt on Google’s half to launch one, there’s one factor that Android has at all times lacked: a real messaging competitor to Apple’s iMessage. The answer rests in a normal that replaces SMS, designed as a common messaging normal – and Google has been one of many largest proponents of this new normal, actively supporting and pushing its providers by the Google Messages app, the default Android messaging app.

However what precisely is RCS, what options does it have and which units is obtainable on? Learn on to search out out the solutions to all these questions and extra.

What’s RCS messaging?

Wealthy communication providers is a protocol between each cellular operators and telephones. The general purpose of RCS is for it to finally substitute SMS and MMS messaging, the codecs we’re all conversant in as they’ve been round for years.

RCS was first fashioned in 2007 and was taken over by the GSM Affiliation (GSMA), the trade commerce physique that represents cellular operators worldwide, in 2008. In 2016, the GSMA agreed on a Common Profile – a set of requirements that every one cellular operators, telephone producers and software program suppliers can use to assist implement RCS on units. RCS messaging could be very very similar to WhatsApp, the place stay chat can happen, together with multi-media help, with all the pieces dealt with by way of the information community.

It is seen as a rival to Apple’s iMessage service, though there are some refined variations between how these providers function.

Google

What is the present standing of RCS messaging?

For numerous years, RCS has been extensively supported by cell phone networks, software program and units. It is supported by the inventory Google Messages app obtainable on Android. The issue up to now has been that cell phone networks had been handed accountability for help and few moved on it. There are in all probability numerous causes for that – dropping SMS or MMS tariffs and dealing on cross-network capabilities are more likely to have seen RCS as low precedence.

Nevertheless, in June 2019, Google took the reins back. This has seen RCS messaging supported on Android units and utilizing Google’s servers moderately than the cell phone community’s servers. Google has stated, nonetheless, that if a community helps RCS, its personal servers can be utilized for the switch of messages.

That acquired the system off the bottom, bringing a brand new messaging platform to Android customers – however Google solely focused France and the UK initially. Within the UK, the service went stay on 28 June 2019 for some customers; there was wider roll-out in the US in December 2019.

Within the US the main US carriers – Verizon, AT&T, Dash and T-Cellular – agreed a cross-carrier solution for RCS in a programme referred to as CCMI – Cross-Provider Messaging Initiative and we’re now ready the place RCS is globally obtainable and interoperable, aside from Russia and China.

At Google I/O 2023, Google stated there have been over 800 million month-to-month RCS customers – and lots of Android customers can have develop into conversant in utilizing it.

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

Firstly, you need 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 hit the menu within the prime right-hand nook.
Choose settings.
Choose Chat options.
Chat options will let you know when you have help or not, and if it is enabled.

RCS is one thing that it’s important to choose into and when it turns into obtainable by way of Google or your supplier, you’ll obtain a notification asking you to choose in. You may need to comply with Google’s phrases and circumstances. In more moderen instances, folks signing into a brand new telephone or opening the Messages app will likely be requested whether or not they need extra superior messages with chat options.

Any prices will likely be a part of your information plan, however remember that when you have no information, messages won’t be despatched – and also you’d have to show off Chat to ship these messages by way of the SMS system as a substitute.

What does RCS messaging do?

The largest benefit RCS Messaging has over SMS – and the explanation it was carried out within the first place – is that it permits customers to ship wealthy, verified messages. This implies messages will be capable of carry extra info, so customers can ship issues like photographs, movies and audio messages to at least one one other.

They are going to be capable of perform video calls with each other from instantly inside the messaging app, moderately than having to depend on third-party software program. Group messages are doable, and little issues equivalent to learn receipts and indicators to indicate different customers are typing a message will likely be included as nicely. RCS messages may even cast off the 160 character restrict at the moment present in SMS messages.

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

They’re options that Apple iMessage, WhatsApp and Fb Messenger have supplied for a while, however Android telephones have gone with out in a default messaging software. For a lot of, having one app to deal with all the pieces will likely be key – and whether or not the brand new CCMI within the US will simply let folks use the Google app stays to be seen.

Are RCS messages safe?

RCS messages depend on information to be able to be despatched between customers, and so messages are despatched with client-to-server encryption. The protocol also needs to forestall spam messages from reaching your machine, as for an organization to have the ability to ship a message by way of RCS, they need to undergo a model verification course of. RCS messages obtained from corporations can have the corporate’s title within the sender information, moderately than only a cell phone quantity – so it is in a greater place than SMS.

Following the invention of code referring to end-to-end encryption in an unreleased version of Google Messages it was clear that Google was planning to make this transfer and it went into beta in November 2020. From June 2021, end-to-end encryption is now a part of Chat in Google Messages. To confirm if you happen to’re sending an encrypted message, simply search for the lock subsequent to the ship arrow within the messaging app.

What is RCS messaging? The new Android texting service explained photo 1

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Who’s supporting RCS Messaging?

Many corporations, together with operators, producers and software program suppliers have pledged their help for RCS Messaging, however by far and away the most important supporter is Google. The expertise big has been making an attempt to extend the adoption of RCS messaging lately, because it needs to implement it in all Android telephones. Google is rolling out the brand new options afforded by RCS as “chat” and it’s half the prevailing Android Messages app – alongside SMS and MMS.

Whereas the app on Android telephones is now widespread – you can download it from Google Play – the speed of adoption and success of RCS messaging will depend on the cellular operators. In the intervening time there are variations of the RCS protocol, so telephones utilizing RCS on some networks aren’t supported elsewhere. It is these interoperability points that the GSM Affiliation’s Common Profile goals to get rid of and one thing that Google has tackled.

In the event you ship an RCS message to somebody who’s telephone or cellular community do not help it, it will likely be despatched as an everyday textual content message, however loads of work is underway to resolve that. For instance, Google and Samsung have been collaborating to make sure that respective RCS apps work collectively by Android Messages and Samsung Messages.

There are at the moment 60 supporters of RCS Messaging, damaged down into 47 cellular operators, 11 OEMs and a pair of OS suppliers. An enormous omission is Apple, and whether or not Apple will cooperate with RCS stays an unknown. At the moment, communication between iPhone and Android units reverts again to SMS if you happen to’re not utilizing a separate app, like WhatsApp. With growing cohesion and privateness throughout the remainder of the smartphone world, Apple would possibly see that it is within the minority and the arguments for not supporting RCS would possibly pale.

Cellular operators

Superior Data Service
América Móvil
AT&T Mobility
Axiata
Beeline
Bell Mobility
Bharti Airtel
China Cellular
China Telecom
China Unicom
Claro Americas#Brazil
Claro Colombia
Deutsche Telekom
Etisalat
Globe telecom
Indosat Oooredoo
Jio
KPN
M1 Restricted
MegaFon
Millicom
MTN Group
MTS
Optus
Orange S.A.
Telecom Argentina
Telecom Argentina#Private
Play
Rogers Communications
Singtel
Sensible Communications
Dash Company
StarHub
Telcel
Tele2
Telefónica
Telenor
Telia Copany
Telkomsel
Telstra
Telus
TIM
T-Cellular US
Turkcell
Verizon Communications
Veon
Vodafone

OEMs

Alcatel
Asus
Common Cellular
Huawei
HTC
Intex Applied sciences
Lava Worldwide
LG Electronics
Motorola
Samsung
ZTE

OS suppliers

What about Apple? Does it help RCS?

Apple is noticeably absent from the record of OEMs that help RCS. The Cupertino tech big hasn’t stated whether or not it should finally help the protocol or not, however for now it is not prepared to undertake it.

If Apple does not undertake RCS, many smartphone customers will nonetheless probably depend on apps equivalent to WhatsApp and Fb Messenger to message family and friends between Android and iOS, in order that they will ship photographs, movies and different wealthy info.

Simply what impact this can have on RCS’ success stays to be seen – though in the end, with Apple already providing iMessage to its customers, it would by no means see the necessity to broaden wealthy messaging to work together with customers of different platforms.

What’s RCS messaging? The Android texting service defined