What is RCS messaging? And How It Works
What is RCS messaging? And How It Works
The RCS messaging standard has been around for a while, and now Apple is getting in on the action.
Rich Communication Services, more commonly referred to as RCS, has been a successful messaging platform for many years. For many people, it has been an inclusion that has been very much appreciated in a world where SMS and MMS were just becoming archaic and out of date. However, there is still a lot of mystery behind RCS and how it manages to keep growing better after all of this time.
RCS, or more particularly Chat, is the Google-created RCS Universal Profile that was established for interoperability between wireless networks. At its foundation, RCS is nothing more than just another Internet-based messaging system. Chat was developed for interoperability between wireless networks. In this regard, it is analogous to services such as iMessage from Apple, Messenger from Facebook, or WhatsApp. The main difference between the two is that RCS Chat is intended to take the role of SMS and MMS. It functions entirely within the default messaging software on your mobile device, and it provides users with luxuries such as read receipts and live typing indicators.
The introduction of RCS, on the other hand, had been problematic, to say the least. Initially, RCS was going to be delivered on a device-by-device basis and was going to be done so by the carriers themselves, in conjunction with Google. This strategy, on the other side, was not very successful, as all four of the main carriers that were around during the time that RCS was emerging rapidly refused to accept new handsets that had RCS features.
Instead, the networks came together to form a joint venture known as the Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI), to deliver their very own proprietary app that was intended to serve as a substitute for SMS and MMS. Most importantly, the carriers intended to make their standard interoperable with the one developed by Google. Google, on the other hand, retaliated against their action by activating the RCS switch on all Android devices through the Android Messages application.
Sprint was rumored to have been in charge of CCMI at one point, but as the years wore on and T-Mobile eventually acquired Sprint, the carriers came to the conclusion that CCMI offered very little value and ultimately decided to scrap the concept. And with that, we find ourselves in the current situation, with a few unanswered questions concerning RCS.
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Do I already have RCS?
RCS is now widely available on Android devices, even though Google was first sluggish to bring it to Android phones after its inception four years ago. RCS can be used on any Android device that has an operating system version of 4.4 or higher, which accounts for around 99 percent of all Android devices now in use. RCS can be accessed by using either Google's Android Messages or Samsung's Messages, which are the two most common messaging applications found on Android devices.
How to ensure RCS is enabled
There is a considerable probability that RCS is already ready to use on your phone; nevertheless, if you haven't activated it, you will receive a notification within the Android Messages app reminding you to do so. If you only follow the on-screen directions to enable Chat capabilities, you should be able to be online and send messages over RCS in no time at all. It is important to keep in mind that the person with whom you are chatting will also need to have RCS; otherwise, your communication will revert to the more conventional method of using SMS.
What about iPhones?
Apple has shown little interest in supporting RCS, even though it has been accessible on Android smartphones for quite some time. As a result, those who use Android are left in a state of uncertainty.
Since they already have iMessage, iPhone consumers obviously do not have much of a requirement for RCS to meet their communication needs. On the other hand, Apple iMessage is only compatible with other Apple products; because of this restriction, it has become a standout feature of iPhones. However, this has resulted in difficulties for iPhone users who wish to communicate with Android customers. Because Apple iMessage does not support RCS, owners of iPhones are unable to view read receipts, typing bubbles, or seamless group chats sent by their friends using Android devices.
It had been rumored for years that a group of mobile carriers known as the GSMA had been in discussions with Apple on the possibility of the company's iMessage app supporting RCS. During this time, there was a glimmer of hope that Apple would eventually come around on RCS. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, stated in 2022 that the company was not hearing from its customers that they genuinely desired RCS. This statement appeared to close the door on any adoption of RCS by Apple that was not mandated by regulatory authorities. (As an example, take a look at how the business responded to EU authorities mandating the use of USB-C by adopting the standard for the iPhone 15, which was released in September.)
However, in a turn of events that was quite unexpected, Apple made the announcement in November of 2023 that it will, in fact, implement RCS and begin distributing the functionality in a software update that was scheduled for "later next year." As of the time this article was written, Apple has not disclosed a great deal of information regarding interoperability; nevertheless, the company has stated that it intends to enable RCS in Apple iMessage rather than adopting RCS for itself. Indeed, Apple has confirmed that the green bubbles will remain in the Messages app to denote when you are communicating with someone who is not using iMessage. This information is useful for keeping track of who you are talking to outside of iMessage.
According to a statement issued by Apple, the iMessage service continues to provide "the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users." Apple has stated in the past that the iMessage platform is better than other options because it provides end-to-end encryption.
If Apple does, at some point in the future, embrace RCS, likely, the Messages app on the iPhone will likely no longer support SMS. That will, at least, mean that you won't have to wait quite as long to send and receive messages with "green bubble" friends and that you'll also be able to view media in its full resolution. RCS, on the other hand, will not use end-to-end encryption like iMessage and many other internet-based communication platforms do. This is something that Apple has been careful to point out.
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