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But you need to get others with whom you communicate to use those as well, which is not always easy from my own experience.
I do? Like who? I don't use Apple's app for anything really. It's all done over other tools already.
You do realize that adding RCS support doesn't take away those other options, right?

You do realize that how you use your iPhone doesn't force others to do the same, right?
You do realize I don't give a ****, right? You do realize I'm not advocating that Apple not do something, right?
 
I do? Like who? I don't use Apple's app for anything really. It's all done over other tools already.

You do realize I don't give a ****, right? You do realize I'm not advocating that Apple not do something, right?
My entire family, for one, along with nearly all of my friends.
 
Yes, it is a global standard and has been for a number of years as previously stated in this thread.
What Google has done is put together a version that is compatible across the RCS landscape.
Except that it’s not. If Apple were to implement standard RCS in iMessages, there still wouldn’t be end to end encryption, for instance, as that’s only available as part of the special sauce Google puts on top of RCS when you use Google Messages, it’s not baked into the RCS protocol. Most of iMessage’s functionality (or of Facebook Messenger’s equivalent functionality) wouldn’t be available, either. Google has completely oversold what RCS is, it’s basically an extension to MMS with longer messages and better support for group chat. And Apple already attempts to abstract away those aspects of SMS/MMS, you can send long messages but they’re split into multiple SMS packets on the backend and displayed as one message on the frontend, and you can kinda do group SMS, it just sometimes is fragile. Well, it also allows for read receipts and typing indicators, as well.

Standardized RCS doesn’t actually support most of the modern chat effects iMessage, Facebook, etc. have had for years. In-line replies, text backgrounds, reactions, RCS has no ability to do any of that. So RCS basically is green chat bubbles with read receipts and typing indicator. And that’s because it’s a standard that dates back to 2008.

Google Messenger is not RCS. Google Messenger is a layer on top of RCS that adds modern chat features. But that only works if both RCS gateways support those features, and those features are proprietary to Google Messenger. You have to go through Google’s RCS gateway to get them, and Google isn’t going to let Apple go through their gateway (and nor would Apple want to). Google doesn’t publish intercompatibility documents for other RCS providers, to the best of my knowledge. So while Apple may be doing messaging lock-in with iMessage, Google is doing lock-in on top of what’s supposedly an open standard (good old embrace, extend, extinguish) but claiming that their proprietary implementation is still the open standard.
 
Is that a serious question!? Do you not think iPhone users would like to send/receive full quality videos and photos to/from friends on Android without having to go through a separate app?
Either get an Android and stop whining or stick with iPhone and deal with it
 
But seriously, maybe Google should stop breaking texting on Android every year or two. And RCS is a total non-starter in most of the world because it’s not an over-the-top service, your features are limited to what your cell phone companies give you. Imagine not having the full texting experience because you are on a prepaid plan instead of a contract plan, for instance.
This. The ultimate goal of RCS is not to give the end users good service, the goal is to give get control of messaging back in the hands of the wireless carriers. It’s a power grab. Google is promoting it with disingenuous ads and such because it hurts Apple.
 
I’m not going to defend Apple as the “good guy”, but Google time and time again has left iOS customers high and dry withholding features, or putting them behind a paywall barrier. The only reason all of Googles apps and services aren’t Android exclusive is because data collecting/advertising on iOS is very lucrative for them. That’s why they pay Apple to keep them as the default search provider. So demonizing Apple, because they feel their service is being excluded from the party is bs.
 
This. The ultimate goal of RCS is not to give the end users good service, the goal is to give get control of messaging back in the hands of the wireless carriers. It’s a power grab. Google is promoting it with disingenuous ads and such because it hurts Apple.

And therefor governments and those who really want to end encryption by 3rd party apps like Telegram, perhaps?

I laugh at the flow of hate articles by the BBC regarding Telegram. They absolutely hate it.
 
From a UK perspective this all seems rather bizarre because literally every single person, whether Apple or Android, switched to WhatsApp years ago. Nobody uses iMessage, and the only time I ever even get an SMS is for automated messages from businesses or one-time security codes.

I wonder why WhatsApp never gained traction in the US?
 
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Apple should just implement the core RCS standard (not the Google extensions) that don’t have end to end encryption, make the bubbles an even more hideous shade of lime green and say “ok, here you go.”
 
Has anybody wondered what carriers get out of this? I have been in GSMA meetings laying this out and I’m socked how naive some people are about RCS. Apple is ignoring it for good reasons.
T minus 15 until someone starts saying “how do carriers benefit from 5G” on this website, apparently.

How does Apple benefit from making their phones faster? Maybe they’re trying to hack the encryption on my brain! 🤯🤯🤯
 
Quick question: does RCS allow Google to track your location and sell the data, etc. I’m too cynical to trust them. I’m sure they are already tracking me in ways that I am not aware of.
 
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How about because iMessage isn't an open standard that others can adopt? 🙄
If they could they would've. iMessage was gonna come to Android originally, but Apple decided to scrap that and use it as a gatekeeping measure to keep iPhone users locked in, and it worked in the US at least. The only way Apple's gonna adopt RCS is if the government makes them at this rate, just like with USB-C and sideloading and alternate payment methods and right to repair

I'm sure they can license iMessage for the right price. Use some of that extra margin Google makes by selling inferior phones.
 
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