What’s RCS and the way is it totally different than SMS or 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 commonplace: RCS. The standoff between the tech giants has been quite public, with Google goading Apple on many events, and Apple refusing to assist 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 cellular provider within the US now assist RCS messaging. However what precisely is RCS, what options does it have, and which units is it accessible on?

What’s RCS?

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

Wealthy communication providers (RCS) is a protocol between cellular operators and telephones. The general purpose of RCS is to switch SMS and MMS messaging, the codecs we’re all conversant in as they’ve been round for years. RCS messaging may be very very similar to WhatsApp, the place stay chat can happen, together with multimedia assist, with every thing dealt with by way of the information community.

The largest benefit RCS Messaging has over SMS — and the rationale 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 info, so customers can ship issues like full-resolution photographs, movies, and audio messages to at least one one other. Fashionable options like typing indicators and browse receipts are additionally a part of RCS messaging.

Customers can perform video calls with each other straight inside the messaging app, quite than having to depend on third-party software program. Group messages are attainable, and RCS messages additionally eliminate 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?

Quick 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 for those who’re at the moment having an encrypted dialog by in search of the lock icon subsequent to the time stamps in your messages, search for a banner within the thread that exhibits a lock icon together with the contributors’ names, or search for the lock icon on the ship button.

If you wish to affirm your dialog is personal, you’ll be able to observe the directions Google lays out here to verify verification codes within the Messages app with particular contacts.

As a result of an rising majority of Android telephones include Google Messages pre-installed or use it as their default messaging app, most RCS chats needs to be end-to-end encrypted, however encryption is just not 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 assist RCS?

RCS is nearly common

Within the US, the main US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Dash and T-Cell — have agreed on a cross-carrier answer for RCS in a program known as CCMI — Cross-Provider Messaging Initiative — and we’re now able the place RCS is globally accessible 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 telephone or cellular community would not assist it, it will likely be despatched as an everyday textual content message.

Does the iPhone assist RCS messaging?

RCS is lastly coming to the iPhone in 2024

Apple has announced that it should work to assist the GSMA Common Profile for RCS on the iPhone in late 2024 as a part of its iOS 18 update. Apple’s announcement that it’ll assist RCS signifies that Google Messages and Apple iMessage may work collectively, so it is attainable by the top of the yr, iPhone and Android customers can have cross-platform wealthy messaging. Apple did not go into element at WWDC 2024 as to how RCS assist will work or what it is going to appear to be, however due to some customers’ experimentation with the developer beta, we do have a way of what options can be included. That features

The inexperienced bubbles can be sticking round, however Apple plans on supporting typing indicators, high-resolution photos and movies, voice messages, group chats, and file transfers on the very least. Notably lacking is any type of end-to-end encryption, although, which could require a swap to a unique model of the GSMA Common Profile than Apple is at the moment utilizing.

Involved customers and Google have demanded Apple assist RCS for years. Google has taunted Apple, with execs making statements about how RCS may make all units work higher collectively and extra securely. The corporate’s even gone to city a number of instances 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 telephone (which defaults to SMS/MMS as a result of Apple would not but assist RCS) inexperienced, to distinguish them from blue messages despatched by different folks on iMessage. That is not essentially going to return to an finish when Apple helps RCS, however messaging Android customers ought to a minimum of change into related from a useful perspective.

Finally, Apple’s reasons for adopting RCS have much less to do with Google’s taunts, and extra the elevated stress 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 assist on my telephone?

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

Firstly, for those who’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 assist it, Google’s method means you must use its personal app).

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

Whenever you register to a brand new telephone 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’ll be able to flip it on by way of the directions above. In the identical menu, you will additionally discover different choices, equivalent to controlling typing indicators and browse receipts. Notice 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.

In case you’re an iPhone person, the present reply is you do not have entry to RCS messaging, and you will want to attend till Apple formally provides assist — both in a public beta or when iOS 18 is formally accessible later this yr.

Associated

What Apple’s RCS support means for your group chats

RCS assist is formally coming to iPhones this fall, however that does not imply you will get the identical expertise on iOS that you’ll on Android.