What’s RCS and the way is it totally different than SMS or iMessage?

Because the daybreak of smartphones, there’s been a battle between messaging apps. Regardless of many makes an attempt on Google’s half, there has by no means been a real messaging competitor to Apple iMessage.

Google’s been pushing one other common normal: RCS. The standoff between the tech giants has been fairly 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 provider within the US now help RCS messaging. However what precisely is RCS, what options does it have, and which units is it out there on?

What’s RCS?

The way forward for textual content messaging is right here… nearly

Wealthy communication providers (RCS) is a protocol between cell operators and telephones. The general intention of RCS is to switch SMS and MMS messaging, the codecs we’re all accustomed to as they’ve been round for years. RCS messaging could be very very similar to WhatsApp, the place stay chat can happen, together with multimedia help, with every little thing dealt with through the information community.

The most important benefit RCS Messaging has over SMS — and the explanation it was carried out within the first place — is that it improves on the SMS/MMS messaging expertise, a lot in the identical approach that iMessage does. This implies RCS messages can carry extra data, so customers can ship issues like full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages to at least one one other. Common options like typing indicators and browse receipts are additionally a part of RCS messaging.

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Customers can perform video calls with each other immediately inside the messaging app, fairly than having to depend on third-party software program. Group messages are doable, and RCS messages additionally dispose of the 160-character restrict at the moment present in SMS messages. Companies also can use RCS Messaging to ship issues like boarding passes for airways, bundle supply notifications, and bank card fraud alerts. RCS is legitimately higher for everybody.

Is RCS encrypted and safe?

Brief reply: Sure, however not by default

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 case you’re at the moment having an encrypted dialog by searching for 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 verify your dialog is personal, you possibly can observe the directions Google lays out here to substantiate verification codes within the Messages app with particular contacts.

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As a result of an growing majority of Android telephones include Google Messages pre-installed or use it as their default messaging app, most RCS chats must be end-to-end encrypted, however encryption isn’t a part of the protocol by default. In comments to the press when Apple introduced it was adopting RCS, constructing end-to-end encryption into the bottom protocol was one of many issues the corporate hoped to do.

Which telephones and carriers help RCS?

RCS is nearly common

Within the US, the foremost US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Dash and T-Cellular — have agreed on a cross-carrier resolution for RCS in a program known as CCMI — Cross-Provider 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.

In case you ship an RCS message to somebody whose cellphone or cell community would not help it, it will likely be despatched as an everyday textual content message.

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The textual content messaging panorama has been heating up currently, and the Wealthy Communication Companies (RCS) protocol is taking part in a central function. RCS is a significant improve over the old-school Brief Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) requirements which have dominated the North American texting scene for a few years now. RCS is a contemporary substitute that brings with it options first pioneered — and now commonplace — on internet-based direct messaging platforms. These perks embody learn receipts, typing indicators, higher group chat help, larger high quality picture and video transfers, and, in some circumstances, encryption. Whereas a lot of the world has moved on from texting and has as a substitute embraced WhatsApp, Fb Messenger, Viber, and different competing providers, the identical cannot be mentioned for us right here within the north-western hemisphere. In the USA and Canada particularly, Apple’s iMessage enjoys an enormous set up base alongside the continued utilization of conventional SMS textual content messaging. Goo

Does the iPhone help RCS messaging?

RCS has lastly made it to the iPhone in 2024

When Apple announced its pivot, it dedicated to utilizing the GSMA Common Profile for RCS. The RCS help that arrived with iOS 18 in September 2024 displays that. Cross-platform messaging between Android and iOS units completely works higher than earlier than and is enriched with issues like audio messages and browse receipts, however it’s nonetheless not excellent. You will nonetheless get a extra feature-complete expertise utilizing Google’s model of RCS in Google Messages or sticking with iMessage.

Inexperienced bubbles have caught round, and Apple helps issues like typing indicators, high-resolution photographs and movies, voice messages, group chats, and file transfers. Notably lacking is any sort of end-to-end encryption, although, which could require a change to a special model of the GSMA Common Profile than Apple is at the moment utilizing. The corporate has shared no plans as to when that may change.

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Involved customers and Google have demanded Apple help RCS for years. Google has taunted Apple, with execs making statements about how RCS might make all units work higher collectively and extra securely. The corporate’s even gone to city a number of occasions in movies and on-line campaigns.

The issue — particularly for customers within the US — is that iMessage is dominant and there is a documented stigma amongst customers in opposition to anybody messaging who is not utilizing iMessage. Apple even makes messages despatched from an Android cellphone (which defaults to SMS/MMS as a result of Apple would not but help RCS) inexperienced, to distinguish them from blue messages despatched by different folks on iMessage. RCS help makes issues much more equal now, however it’s not clear it’ll change something culturally.

Finally, Apple’s reasons for adopting RCS have much less to do with Google’s taunts, and extra the elevated strain it is receiving from the EU as a result of Digital Markets Act, and that 5G telephones are reportedly required to support RCS in China.

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

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

Firstly, in case you’re an Android person, it is 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 could use its personal app).

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

Whenever you check in to a brand new cellphone and open Google Messages for the primary time, you will be requested if you wish to activate RCS Messaging. In case you aren’t prompted, you possibly can flip it on through the directions above. In the identical menu, you will additionally discover different choices, corresponding to controlling typing indicators and browse receipts. Notice that you just want wi-fi or mobile information to ship RCS messages, so there’s additionally the choice to ship an SMS as a substitute if RCS messages cannot be despatched.

In case you’re an iPhone person, Apple has designed the Messages app for iOS 18 to default to RCS in case your provider helps it, however you can even be certain that RCS messaging is enabled within the Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll right down to the Apps part and faucet it.
3. Faucet on Messages.
4. Faucet on RCS Messaging beneath the Textual content Messaging part.
5. Be certain that RCS Messaging is toggled on.

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