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How to enable RCS messaging on Android devices
Send your hi-res photos and videos faster and more securely with RCS messaging
Sending a text message isn’t exactly rocket science, but attempting to decipher the various acronyms associated with text messaging standards can get a bit tricky. For years, smartphones have utilized SMS and MMS protocols for sending and receiving messages, but tech is always moving forward. Now, there's RCS for firing off messages and sharing photos. RCS has actually been around for a long time; it's only now that the protocol is being introduced to Android's Messages app.
Google Messages is becoming more secure with default end-to-end encryption for RCS chats
Text messages between Android and iPhones, however, are still vulnerable to eavesdropping.
Google has long been pushing RCS as the common messaging standard to replace SMS and MMS, but the company has had little success trying to convince companies like Apple to move to the new protocol. However, even though RCS has been slow to gain traction, Google is continuing to implement new features for the fledgling messaging standard, suggesting it is still committed to the technology. As part of its plans to make RCS more popular among users, the search giant has now announced a couple of new features that it believes will help convince more people to ditch SMS in favor of the new protocol.
Google testing option to send lower resolution photos faster via RCS
The new toggle lets you share reduced-quality content faster if your mobile network is slow.
Google’s Messages application lets you share photos and videos without them otherwise being compressed by mobile networks. The app rolls Rich Communication Services (RCS), SMS, and instant messaging into one, but large files can take some time to send, depending on your network conditions. To speed up the process, Google is rolling out a feature to make photos smaller.
Best text messaging apps for Android in 2023
Looking for a good SMS app for your phone? We can help. We've selected some of the best Android messaging apps. Check them out!
The increasing popularity of communication platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram has put the good ol' SMS in the backseat across a lot of regions. That's not to say text messaging is a dying breed because it's still quite popular in countries like the US, and while your friends and family may not be pinging you on SMS as much, you’re still likely getting dozens of text messages from companies and service providers every day. You can always rely on the built-in SMS app that shipped with your phone, but we recommend getting something better and a bit more reliable to keep a track of all the messages. If you're wondering which text messaging apps to use on your Android phone, then here are some good options to consider:
Google calls out Apple for not adopting RCS, yet again
Google has launched a campaign against Apple for not adopting RCS on the iPhone, yet again. The latter company seemingly doesn't care.
The battle between Blue and Green Bubbles goes years back. For the unfamiliar, when an iPhone user texts someone with an Android phone, the chat bubble appears as green. Apple reserves the blue bubbles for iMessage users. In many regions, this whole drama is insignificant. After all, billions of users around the globe depend on third-party instant messaging (IM) apps to reach their friends and family. Nonetheless, those who use the default Messages apps included on their phones have to deal with inconveniences when texting someone on a different operating system. A potential solution for this communication gap is RCS. Google -- which already supports it on Android OS -- has called out Apple multiple times for not adopting this standard. The iPhone maker seemingly doesn't care and continues to ignore the mater. As a result, Google has launched a campaign calling out Apple for resisting RCS, yet again.
Google sends Apple a direct message about iMessage at IO
Google has thrown shade at Apple during its I/O 2022's main keynote for not supporting Rich Communication Services (RCS).
It's no secret that Apple tends to stick to its proprietary solutions when it comes to its hardware and software. For example, the company still includes the Lightning port on all of the iPhones it puts out. In the meantime, most smartphone manufacturers have already switched to USB Type-C ports. It's a universal charger that works across countless brands and devices -- making everyone's lives easier. Another example is Apple not adopting Rich Communication Services (RCS). Right now, iPhone users have two options in the Messages app. They either send iMessages to other Apple device owners or fall back on the ancient and outdated SMS when iMessage is unavailable. Meanwhile, Google has adopted RCS in its Messages app -- allowing Android users to take advantage of the protocol, regardless of their phone brands. Google has now (once again) thrown shade at Apple for resisting RCS during its I/O 2022's main keynote.
Google really wants Apple to support RCS messaging
Google SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer is publicly calling on Apple to support Rich Communication Services, or RCS for short.
Google has failed to establish a messaging platform for Android devices comparable to Apple's iMessage. Between the slow death of Google Hangouts, the short life of Google Allo, and the gradual rollout of RCS that is dependent on either specific applications (mainly Google Messages) or mobile network operators, Google hasn't quite figured it out yet. That isn't stopping the company from pushing Apple to implement RCS, though.
Google Messages will make it less annoying to chat with your iMessage friends
Google Messages on Android now supports interpreting emoji reactions sent through iMessage, making it less annoying to chat with Apple users.
iOS and Android --as mobile operating systems -- don't always get along well with each other. For example, iPhone users can't send files to Android phones via Bluetooth without using third-party apps. Another incompatibility plenty of Android users suffer from is iMessage emoji reactions. For the unfamiliar, when an iMessage user reacts to a text from an Android user, the latter receives a repetitive text version of it. For example, the Google Messages app would display Laughed at "Apple and Google will eventually be friends!" as a text message sent from the Apple user, rather than actually adding a laugh reaction to the existing text the Android user has originally sent. Google has finally started rolling out a feature that fixes this issue.
[Update: Samsung Only] Google Messages has a hidden RCS API for third-party apps
The Google Messages app has a hidden Android Messages API that could let third-party messaging apps send RCS messages.
RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services, is generally seen as the successor to SMS. It supports features like group chat management, higher quality file shares, read receipts, typing indicators, and end-to-end encryption. In order to use the RCS protocol for chats, it has to be supported by the network, the phone's OS, and the phone's messaging app through an API. American carriers dragged their feet for too long in adopting RCS, so Google bypassed them entirely and added their own RCS backend to the Google Messages app. However, on Android, only the Google Messages app can access Android's RCS API. That could change if Google opens up its "Android Messages API."
End-to-end encrypted messaging is now available for more users in Google Messages
End-to-end encrypted messaging is now rolling out to more users in Google Messages, giving RCS another advantage over SMS.
Google began rolling out end-to-end encryption at the end of last year for select Google Messages beta users who have enabled Chat, Google's implementation of RCS. End-to-end encryption ensures that conversations stay encrypted from when they leave your smartphone, to when they arrive at the other end. There is no server-side decryption, meaning that data can't be collected in the middle from the servers that pass your messages along. This is a selling point of many texting applications like Signal as it's a major step towards ensuring the privacy of a user, and now it's finally rolling out to more users who use Google Messages.
Google's RCS-based Chat features are rolling out for some in the Samsung Messages app
Samsung has started rolling out support for Google's RCS-based Chat features in the Samsung Messages app for some users.
Samsung and Google have been working together to ensure that their respective messaging apps "work seamlessly with each company's RCS technology" since 2018. However, the Samsung Messages app currently only supports RCS through carriers and Samsung Galaxy users have to install the Google Messages app on their devices to utilize Google's RCS-based Chat features. But that's set to change soon as some users have started receiving support for Google's RCS-based Chat features in Samsung Messages.
Google tests E2E encryption in Messages after rolling out RCS globally
Google has confirmed that its RCS Chat Features for Messages are now available worldwide and it is beta testing end-to-end encryption.
Google has announced plans to launch end-to-end encryption in its Messages app for Android. The news comes on the back of the completion of the global rollout of its RCS-based chat features after the company decided last year to roll out access to the service itself, rather than waiting for telcos to enable it.
Google and T-Mobile join up to make RCS support work better across carriers
Google has been trying to push RCS in the US. Today, Google and T-Mobile announced a joint effort that makes RCS work better across carriers.
The rollout of RCS support in the US has been pretty messy. Back in November, Google took matters into its own hands and enabled RCS support for everyone in the US using the Messages app. That was a big step, but it didn't solve all the problems. Today, Google and T-Mobile announced a joint effort that makes RCS work better across carriers.
[Update: Wider Rollout] Google Messages starts showing emoji chat reactions for RCS conversations
According to a recent post on Reddit, Google Messages has started rolling out emoji chat reactions for RCS conversations.
An APK teardown of Google Messages beta (v5.7) from earlier this year revealed that the company was working to add two new features to the app. At the time, we learned that these new features would allow users to share emoji reactions to messages on the platform and draw on images that they are preparing to share with friends. Now, according to a recent post on Reddit, Google has finally started rolling out emoji chat reactions for RCS conversations.
Google Play Services 20.15.13 prepares to add a page to list RCS/Chat apps
Latest Google Play Services update adds hints of new page to list and set up SMS apps that support RCS aka Chat features in Android.
Messaging in the U.S. differs majorly from the rest of the world. While apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have become the staple communication platforms in many countries, Android users in the U.S. still pretty much rely on SMS for messaging, especially because their counterparts using iPhones are hooked to Apple's iMessage. This has inspired Google to develop a parallel, leading to the company to help push RCS messaging. Rich Communication Services, which Google simply calls "Chat", supports multimedia features and read receipts, unlike SMS. While RCS and Chat have been limited to a handful of first-party messaging applications, including Google's Messages app, there are many users out there who probably don't know it's available.
Google Messages gets RCS support for everyone in Spain
The Android Messages app got RCS support in the UK and France last summer and now Google is bringing support to Spain as well.
Google has been taking RCS matters into its own hands as of late. After trying to work with OEMs and carriers to get greater support, Google started pushing RCS on its own last year. The Messages app got RCS support in the UK and France last summer and now Spain is joining the fun.
Google is rolling out RCS/Chat in Messages for all US users regardless of carrier
People have been begging Google to bypass the carriers and enable RCS in the US for everyone. Google is finally doing exactly that.
Earlier this year, Google surprised people by bypassing carriers and enabling RCS for users in the UK and France. Since SMS is less used in those two countries due to the prevalence of messaging apps like WhatsApp, the RCS rollout wasn't that big of a deal. At that time, however, Google said they would love to do the same in the US, but they had to work things out with carriers. Still, people wondered why they couldn't just bypass the carriers altogether as they did in the UK. Google is finally doing exactly that.
Skip the wait: Enable RCS right now in Google Messages for any carrier
Tired of waiting for your carrier to enable RCS? Here's how to enable it right now on any carrier or device, provided you're using Google's Messages app.
As we all know, the messaging situation on Android is a bit of a mess...at least in the United States. While most of us in the U.S. still use SMS, the rest of the world has shifted to better messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram. It's not easy to convince your friends and family to switch to a new chat app, so a lot of power users in the U.S. are banking on the SMS to RCS transition to improve the messaging situation. Despite Google's best efforts, the company has only managed to enable RCS for all users in the UK and France, two markets where it's not as desired. Thanks to a couple of Redditors, there's now a way to force enable RCS on any carrier or device, provided you're using Google's Messages app.
Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile are teaming up to replace SMS with an RCS messaging app
All four major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint) have joined forces to rollout RCS with the "Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative."
RCS has long been described as "Google's answer to iMessage." That may or may not be true, but the fact is Android fans have put a lot of faith in this technology. Google has too, of course, as they've consistently tried to push it forward. One big hurdle they have faced is carriers, especially in the US. Now, all four major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint) have joined forces on something called the "Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative."
[Update: Rolling out] Google will let Android users in the UK and France use RCS regardless of carrier support
RCS support relies on carriers and phone makers and the rollout has been painfully slow. Google is doing something about this.
For quite a while now, RCS has been talked about as the long-awaited replacement for SMS. It has many of the modern features we've come to expect from messaging services. Many have even looked at RCS as the "iMessage for Android" savior. However, there's one very big problem: RCS support relies on carriers and phone makers and the rollout has been painfully slow.