Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

[dk001]

Samsung messages RCS is carrier specific. It does not use google method. It uses carrier based RCS. Meaning if the carrier does not support it then you don’t have RCS.

Considering that RCS is replacing SMS/MMS and her in the US is predominately carrier based, at this time there is not a large amount of leeway.

Much like android itself, RCS is fragmented. Some phones have it. Some don’t. Some use googles method. Some don’t. Which leads to incompatibility and unreliability. Which will be hilarious when apple uses RCS.

Fragmented? Android is a base OS that an OEM is allowed to “personalize” to fit that OEM’s needs. Fragmented is incorrect.
Google Messenger (and dealer) is standard on all Android installs today and it has RCS.

Samsung messages is not even pushed by Samsung. Samsung has installed by default and pushed GOOGLE MESSAGES in its newer devices for this very reason.

And Actually as I said RCS is not available to third party apps. If I use Apia like chompsms or pulse then there is no RCS.

RCS capabilities are in Android (asop) but google has yet to release Api to be used.

For RCS yes, but there are multiple that support SMS. I suspect we will see opening of the Google API once Apple starts handling RCS in Messages. Crossing fingers. Wonder if we will see any other RCS servers (non-Google) open up.

Which makes them just as bad as apple with iMessage. Worse because iMessage has been apple only. Google only allows it for google messages meaning 3rd party apps don’t have access. Simply because google makes money off your Data

View attachment 2364837

We are crossing our messages here I suspect. I’m responding more to your SMS posts than RCS. I can currently, and have tried a few, set as my default messaging and they handle SMS. While I like RCS and want to see it replacing SMS/MMS, due to the current mess I use Teams/Telegram mostly on Android. I leave Messages active as a number of businesses still use SMS as the primary method of contact.

 

[dk001]

So you just made the sane argument as why apple Doesn’t want to make iMessage for android and why these lawsuits are ridiculous.

Thank you.

It’s even worse because lagdroid is praised for being open yet google is purposely not allowing 3rd party apps to use RCS.

Hypocrisy on google since are favoring their own apps on their platform which they profit off of.

I refuse to use google messages on android. But if I want RCS I have to use it. This is why I laugh at android fans because they are ok with double standards as long as it isn’t the trillion dollar apple doing it.

On ANdroid today I can set a default messaging app Other than Google Messages. On iOS I cannot. It is just one of many that Apple “restricts”. Illegal? TBD.

 

[Hails09]

So you just made the sane argument as why apple Doesn’t want to make iMessage for android and why these lawsuits are ridiculous.

Thank you.

It’s even worse because lagdroid is praised for being open yet google is purposely not allowing 3rd party apps to use RCS.

Hypocrisy on google since are favoring their own apps on their platform which they profit off of.

I refuse to use google messages on android. But if I want RCS I have to use it. This is why I laugh at android fans because they are ok with double standards as long as it isn’t the trillion dollar apple doing it.

The big difference is google want to improve messaging as a whole unlike Apple that want to make it poorer as a deliberate marketing strategy

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Samsung messages RCS is carrier specific. It does not use google method. It uses carrier based RCS. Meaning if the carrier does not support it then you don’t have RCS.

Part of the RCS spec is interoperability. It's like how you can send an email from your iCloud address to a Gmail address.

Apple would, in all likeliness, spin up their own RCS Hub for iPhone users. Carriers have their own hubs, so does Google for android users to use when their carrier does not have one. Messages can bounce between hubs just like emails do to end up where they need to go.

 

[H2SO4]

You don’t have to use messages or sms. My roommate exclusively uses messenger to chat. Idk his phone number.

Very easy if you choose not to use messages.

It’s not dysfunctional at all. It functions well. Seeing as most of the world doesn’t use messages regularly. They use apps.

My people likely won’t have a need for RCS. Again RCS only benefits android users.

I know 5 ppl who use android. Thankfully I don’t text most of these ppl and if I do I use messenger.

1. My mom though she is fi ally switching because her pixel sucks

2. My godson who is 12 but I’m buying him an iPhone for his bday because he deserves better than using the android he is using and I want him on iPhone. I think he is using a galaxy s20 from his dad

3. My coworker who barely uses his phone

4. My best friend who has a burner android phone for his extracurricular stuff.

5. My grandfather who literally got a free cheap government phone.

My Inner circle only uses iPhone thank goodness. My bf was the hardest to get to switch as he was a lagdroid fan but even he appreciates his phone working as it should.

"The global user base for Android surpasses 3.5 billion, while iOS boasts more than 1.3 billion users. With annual smartphone sales reaching approximately 1.39 billion units worldwide."
All those users have to be texting someone...............
I have lots of acquaintances/relatives/friends on Android and have zero problem messaging them.

 

[TimFL1]

So you just made the sane argument as why apple Doesn’t want to make iMessage for android and why these lawsuits are ridiculous.

Thank you.

It’s even worse because lagdroid is praised for being open yet google is purposely not allowing 3rd party apps to use RCS.

Hypocrisy on google since are favoring their own apps on their platform which they profit off of.

I refuse to use google messages on android. But if I want RCS I have to use it. This is why I laugh at android fans because they are ok with double standards as long as it isn’t the trillion dollar apple doing it.

No one stops you from doing your own RCS client app, using your own RCS hub as its backend.

There are quite a few hub providers out there you can also talk to about making an App for. RCS is not as closed as SMS/MMS, anyone can provide their own implementation (good luck interconnecting with Jibe and co. though).

They maybe wanted it to be an open API once, times change and they just roll their own blocking off freeloader Apps.

 

[scorpio vega]

The big difference is google want to improve messaging as a whole unlike Apple that want to make it poorer as a deliberate marketing strategy

Google doesn’t care about making messaging better lol. It want to be the dominant source in everything.

No one stops you from doing your own RCS client app, using your own RCS hub as its backend.

There are quite a few hub providers out there you can also talk to about making an App for. RCS is not as closed as SMS/MMS, anyone can provide their own implementation (good luck interconnecting with Jibe and co. though).

They maybe wanted it to be an open API once, times change and they just roll their own blocking off freeloader Apps.

You’re right. No one Is stopping me. But the multiple RCS clients are precisely why RCS is not reliable lol.

"The global user base for Android surpasses 3.5 billion, while iOS boasts more than 1.3 billion users. With annual smartphone sales reaching approximately 1.39 billion units worldwide."
All those users have to be texting someone...............
I have lots of acquaintances/relatives/friends on Android and have zero problem messaging them.

And I have no issues messaging then without RCS. Your point?

Part of the RCS spec is interoperability. It's like how you can send an email from your iCloud address to a Gmail address.

Apple would, in all likeliness, spin up their own RCS Hub for iPhone users. Carriers have their own hubs, so does Google for android users to use when their carrier does not have one. Messages can bounce between hubs just like emails do to end up where they need to go.

And that’s precisely why many android users complain about reliability lol.

It’s similar to how when I used lagdroid default mail settings and half the time my mail didn’t deliver. It’s why I would just download the actual clients official app.

Considering that RCS is replacing SMS/MMS and her in the US is predominately carrier based, at this time there is not a large amount of leeway.

The world is more than the us.

Fragmented? Android is a base OS that an OEM is allowed to “personalize” to fit that OEM’s needs. Fragmented is incorrect.
Google Messenger (and dealer) is standard on all Android installs today and it has RCS.

Yes fragmented. It’s kind of androids reputation. Has been since my days with the g1. Less so nowadays but android still is a fragmented mess even today in 2024 lol.

lol idk why that word bothers so many ppl or why ppl try to deny it. One of the many reasons I’ll never go back to android as my main device. Well that and it’s terrible

 

[ProbablyDylan]

You’re right. No one Is stopping me. But the multiple RCS clients are precisely why RCS is not reliable lol.

Reliability issues would come down to the server side of things. The client just gets pinged when a message arrives.

Server side issues are something every company deals with. Even Apple had various outages affecting various services in December, January, and February.

And before you mention the OTT apps again, they're not perfectly reliable either. Not even a month ago, Whatsapp was having issues.

 

[scorpio vega]

Reliability issues would come down to the server side of things. The client just gets pinged when a message arrives.

Server side issues are something every company deals with. Even Apple had various outages affecting various services in December, January, and February.

And before you mention the OTT apps again, they're not perfectly reliable either. Not even a month ago, Whatsapp was having issues.

When did I say they didn’t have issues. You’re trying so hard to find a point lol. I very rarely hear about iMessage or WhatsApp issues. I also don’t hear about sms issues.


I worked with multiple carriers and my own experience and I noticed complaints regularly about RCS.

RCS messages would literally hang in the ether and not deliver by sms. At least with iMessage it will fall back more reliably to sms. Again depending on WHAT flavor of RCS your phone uses, it is not reliable.

A quick google search showcases complaints from diehard fans of lagdroid who simply turned it off.

I won’t even go into how RCS features really feel like cheap iMessage knock offs.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

You’re trying so hard to find a point lol

I'm simply addressing the point you made. You said the issue is RCS being unreliable, I pointed out where the alternatives are also not immune to failure.

A quick google search showcases complaints from diehard fans of lagdroid who simply turned it off.

There's simply more of them. 3.5B v 1.3B, android and iOS respectively. It's only logical for a larger userbase to have more to say - there's literally more voices.

I won’t even go into how RCS features really feel like cheap iMessage knock offs.

How does one knock off basic features? Something unique like Animoji sure. But...read receipts? High resolution media? Typing indicators?

It's like calling my backpack a Gucci knockoff because it has zippers and shoulder straps.

 

[scorpio vega]

There's simply more of them. 3.5B v 1.3B, android and iOS respectively. It's only logical for a larger userbase to have more to say - there's literally more voices.

WhatsApp is just as large. Cross platform. I rarely hear any major issues or complaints about it.

Also most of the works use it or WeChat over RCS
And sms and certainly iMessage.

I’d use WhatsApp over RCS if I really needed to But iMessage and sms is fine for me.

I'm simply addressing the point you made. You said the issue is RCS being unreliable, I pointed out where the alternatives are also not immune to failure

When did I say they were immune? I stated the entire time why RCS unnecessary for me and millions of others.

RCS benefits android users not me. That’s not my problem or concern you chose android.

There are plenty of cross platform apps to use.

If RCS is what (for now at least) keeps iMessage iPhone only then cool. But it will be turned off and I’m encouraging others.

 

[Meatwad]

There is no "fork". RCS is extensible by design.

That is exactly what a fork is. Google added an extension. It is not part of the standard.

 

[Meatwad]

This is not true of any of the third party apps, and in a lot of countries, you can't expect recipients to have Signal or even WhatsApp installed.

And in those countries you won't be able to send encrypted messages anyway....

 

[EugW]

And in those countries you won't be able to send encrypted messages anyway....

? In most countries, Signal has a very low installed base, and there is no sign of that changing anytime soon. So as far as I'm concerned, Signal barely even matters in this discussion.

 

[Abazigal]

I somehow doubt this will solve anything. Even after RCS is (finally) implemented, haters will probably just find something else to criticise iMessage over, since the reality is that messaging on android will still lack real parity with iMessage ultimately.

 

[gco212]

That is exactly what a fork is. Google added an extension. It is not part of the standard.

Not quite. This is the equivalent of adding a plug-in in Chrome or Samsung adding to the Android OS, neither of which is a fork. A fork needs the underlying code to be modified, not just added to. On the other hand, Amazon's Fire OS is a fork of Android because they edited the Android's base code, not just adding stuff on top.

 

[_Refurbished_]

It’s sad that sites like The Verge and WSJ turned this into a green bubble social status thing for clicks instead of explaining what the actual issue is. This notion that teens have social anxiety because they show up as a green bubble on their friends phone is ridiculous. But annoyance because their group chat experience isn’t as good? That’s legit. I’m glad Apple is going to make that experience better.

I've seen teens and pre-teens switch to an iPhone strictly for this reason. 100% accurate.

 

[dk001]

I've seen teens and pre-teens switch to an iPhone strictly for this reason. 100% accurate.

Teen peer pressure can be a very divisive item.

 

[_Refurbished_]

Teen peer pressure can be a very divisive item.

The point is, it happens and it’s real. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. A mom with not much money got the kid an old iPhone just so the kid could have an iPhone and not get ridiculed.

 

[jvolkman]

That is exactly what a fork is. Google added an extension. It is not part of the standard.

No. In standard software parlance, a fork is a copy of the original product with parallel development, often diverging from the original. An extension is an added feature built on top of a platform that is designed to support extensibility.

Just because people installed Flash Player years ago doesn't mean they forked their browser. Most browsers are extensible by design, like RCS.