Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

More Than 1 Billion RCS Messages Are Sent Daily on Android and iOS

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,122
38,886


Over a billion RCS messages are sent on a daily basis in the United States, Google said today. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol that replaced the prior SMS and MMS messaging standards.

RCS-Feature-1.jpg

It was developed by the GSM Association, but Google has been championing it for years. Apple held out on adopting RCS for quite some time, but finally added support with the launch of iOS 18. On devices running iOS 18, RCS is the default messaging protocol for texts between an iPhone user and an Android user.

Apple's adoption of RCS has undoubtedly increased the number of RCS messages sent per day, but Google's 1 billion figure includes Android to Android text messages along with Android to iPhone text messages (and vice versa).

RCS is a notable improvement over SMS and MMS, and it makes for a better texting experience between iPhone users and Android users, as Android users can't take advantage of iMessage. Some of the RCS features:
  • Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
  • Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
  • Audio messages.
  • Cross-platform emoji reactions.
  • Real-time typing indicators and read receipts.
  • Better group chats with support for removing people.
  • The option to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi.
For iPhone to iPhone conversations, iMessage is still the default, but RCS has made "green bubble" texting with Android users less of a hassle.

RCS is supported by the major carriers in the United States, but some smaller carriers like Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile, Ting, and others have yet to add support.

Article Link: More Than 1 Billion RCS Messages Are Sent Daily on Android and iOS
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/13/android-ios-rcs-messages-1-billion/
MacRumors said:
RCS is supported by the major carriers in the United States, but some smaller carriers like Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile, Ting, and others have yet to add support.
Click to expand...
🤦‍♂️

I've had RCS working since 18.3.1


You reported on Mint Mobile supporting it back in March

www.macrumors.com

iOS 18.4 Brings RCS Support to Google Fi, Mint Mobile and Other T-Mobile MVNOs

The second beta of iOS 18.4 expands RCS messaging support to more carriers in the United States and other countries, according to multiple reports on...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

After installing iOS 18.4, iPhone users with Mint Mobile, Google Fi, Ultra Mobile, Tello, and US Mobile are able to toggle on RCS messaging, and the functionality appears to be rolling out for all T-Mobile Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).



Does Mint Mobile support RCS for Android and iPhone phones?

Yep. RCS is available for both Android and iPhone devices. All Android devices (9+) and iOS devices (18.4 and above) have RCS features automatically enabled and defaulted on. To use RCS features, all parties must have RCS enabled and compatible carrier support.


Even Boost Mobile supports RCS

help.boostmobile.com

Rich Communication Services (RCS)

What is Rich Communication Services (RCS)? Rich Communication Services (RCS) creates a more unified and engaging messaging experience across devices with different operating systems. Think about those group chats with iPhones and Androids. RCS adds typing indicators, high-res photo and video...
help.boostmobile.com help.boostmobile.com

Can Boost Mobile customers use RCS on iPhone?

As long as you have an iPhone XS/XR or later and iOS 18.2, you’re good to go!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: kolebee, AF_APPLETALK, Nekronos and 4 others
UliBaer said:
For cross platform (and even iPhone to iPhone) communications I use Signal.

...or use WhatsApp, like the rest of the world does. ;)
Click to expand...
Not all the world use Whatsapp or Signal, the problem with these services is that the person you are messaging have to use these as well. Every single phone has at least SMS, so if you message using RCS, it will still be received buy the majority if not all the phones around, evcen if it is recieved as a SMS.

I know people, including myself, that would not touch WhatsApp with a bargepole and most of them would not even have heard of signal.

to send messages to people on different messaging services, you need an app for each one, just like the days when we had AIM and MS messenger, ICQ and Yahoo messenger, in that you had to have multiple software. some software did come out that combined them all, but as far as i know, there are no apps on mobiles to combine all these messaging services.
 
  • Like
  • Love
  • Disagree
Reactions: DakotaGuy, AF_APPLETALK, Ericdjensen and 16 others
When something is default and most people really don't have a clue what they are using then yes, there is going to be a load of people using.

Myself, I disabled RCS, don;lt see the need for it and i don't need the features. SMS works fine for me.
 
  • Disagree
  • Haha
Reactions: techfreak23, f12003_ga, bbzt and 4 others
iMessage doesn't seem to work anymore here in Germany, don't know why. I don't get a blue background with any text sent, even though I know, the recipient is an iPhone user.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: sos47
Google forces all RCS messages sent using Google Messages to go through their server. They have a non-standard RCS implementation which allows them to capture more data about those messages. It also allows them to track who is messaging who and when. They can then associate that with all the other information they have on users, like their location, what they've been searching for, and much more.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
  • Disagree
Reactions: explosive0, cateye, KeithBN and 1 other person
MacRumors said:


Over a billion RCS messages are sent on a daily basis in the United States, Google said today. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol that replaced the prior SMS and MMS messaging standards.

RCS-Feature-1.jpg

It was developed by the GSM Association, but Google has been championing it for years. Apple held out on adopting RCS for quite some time, but finally added support with the launch of iOS 18. On devices running iOS 18, RCS is the default messaging protocol for texts between an iPhone user and an Android user.

Apple's adoption of RCS has undoubtedly increased the number of RCS messages sent per day, but Google's 1 billion figure includes Android to Android text messages along with Android to iPhone text messages (and vice versa).

RCS is a notable improvement over SMS and MMS, and it makes for a better texting experience between iPhone users and Android users, as Android users can't take advantage of iMessage. Some of the RCS features:
  • Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
  • Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
  • Audio messages.
  • Cross-platform emoji reactions.
  • Real-time typing indicators and read receipts.
  • Better group chats with support for removing people.
  • The option to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi.
For iPhone to iPhone conversations, iMessage is still the default, but RCS has made "green bubble" texting with Android users less of a hassle.

RCS is supported by the major carriers in the United States, but some smaller carriers like Boost Mobile, Mint Mobile, Ting, and others have yet to add support.

Article Link: More Than 1 Billion RCS Messages Are Sent Daily on Android and iOS
Click to expand...
Last year : Over a billion SMS messages are sent on a daily basis in the United States... bruh
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: explosive0
Ad47uk said:
Not all the world use Whatsapp or Signal, the problem with these services is that the person you are messaging have to use these as well. Every single phone has at least SMS, so if you message using RCS, it will still be received buy the majority if not all the phones around, evcen if it is recieved as a SMS.

I know people, including myself, that would not touch WhatsApp with a bargepole and most of them would not even have heard of signal.

to send messages to people on different messaging services, you need an app for each one, just like the days when we had AIM and MS messenger, ICQ and Yahoo messenger, in that you had to have multiple software. some software did come out that combined them all, but as far as i know, there are no apps on mobiles to combine all these messaging services.
Click to expand...
I share your abstinence from WhatsApp, so i use Signal, but even the US is on third place with >91 million users of WhatsApp: https://learn.rasayel.io/en/blog/whatsapp-user-statistics/ So i think, the numbers are rising.

I mainly prefer email for communication, cause i can append everything to an email. The next best thing is a messenger and since i like privacy, i choose Signal for that. Since iMessage only reaches iPhones, it is not appropriate for my needings.

You are right in that way, when i want to reach an unknown person, i use SMS for that, but i can never be sure, the message arrived appropriately.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fraXis
Twingo23 said:
iMessage doesn't seem to work anymore here in Germany, don't know why. I don't get a blue background with any text sent, even though I know, the recipient is an iPhone user.
Click to expand...
That happens, when the recipient has no network or has switched off the iPhone. Then the message is sent via SMS/RCS.

[edit] Can also happen, when the recipient has disabled iMessage completely or disabled phone number for iMessage and is only reachable via email-address/AppleID.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ss2cire, lionel77 and sideshowuniqueuser
sw1tcher said:
RCS will (soon) have end-to-end encryption on iPhone. SMS is not encrypted. I'd say that's one big reason to enable RCS
Click to expand...
Until the government in the U.K stops it and to be honest, I am not bothered about end-to-end encryption, what I use SMS for is not that interesting or important.
it is the other stuff they add to RCS that I don't need either, like seeing when the other person is typing, I don't want to see if they are typing or them to see if I am typing, delivered notifications are good enough. They will reply in their own time
i don't need or want Emojis, and I certainly don't want anyone to send a video or photo via RCS. I have email if they want to do that.
I did use a diffeerant text app, but for some reason it is playing up, as soon as i put Android message to default it asked me about chat (RCS), so I disabled it there and then. If i ever got a Iphone, I would do the same with that.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: techfreak23
UliBaer said:
I share your abstinence from WhatsApp, so i use Signal, but even the US is on third place with >91 million users of WhatsApp: https://learn.rasayel.io/en/blog/whatsapp-user-statistics/ So i think, the numbers are rising.

I mainly prefer email for communication, cause i can append everything to an email. The next best thing is a messenger and since i like privacy, i choose Signal for that. Since iMessage only reaches iPhones, it is not appropriate for my needings.

You are right in that way, when i want to reach an unknown person, i use SMS for that, but i can never be sure, the message arrived appropriately.
Click to expand...
I don't care how many people use What's app, I don't follow the crowds. I used to get some people sending me invites, but they have given up now and just use SMS or phone me. Signal needs the other people to use it, and I don't think anyone I know does. SMS, everyone that has a mobile phone can use SMS , the majority, certainly in the U.K get a load of SMS in with their contract. I get unlimited SMS and I think most people do these days.

The problem I would have with signal is the same as one of the problems I have with Whatsapp, they require your phone number, why is a phone number needed?

I tell my phone number to people I know, I get annoyed when people I know pass my number on to other people without my permission.

As i have said to people, I have email, Voice, SMS and if they really need to, Facebook Messenger, why do I need any more ways t be contacted?
 
sw1tcher said:
RCS will (soon) have end-to-end encryption on iPhone. SMS is not encrypted. I'd say that's one big reason to enable RCS
Click to expand...
“Soon…”

But, when? It’s really the only thing that makes RCS appealing to me. Seems like I’ve been hearing about encryption forever. But yet, here we are.

I’ve moved most of my non IOS contacts to Signal. They’ve been surprisingly receptive to this and Signal works well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: UliBaer
Ad47uk said:
Until the government in the U.K stops it and to be honest, I am not bothered about end-to-end encryption, what I use SMS for is not that interesting or important.
it is the other stuff they add to RCS that I don't need either, like seeing when the other person is typing, I don't want to see if they are typing or them to see if I am typing, delivered notifications are good enough. They will reply in their own time
i don't need or want Emojis, and I certainly don't want anyone to send a video or photo via RCS. I have email if they want to do that.
I did use a diffeerant text app, but for some reason it is playing up, as soon as i put Android message to default it asked me about chat (RCS), so I disabled it there and then. If i ever got a Iphone, I would do the same with that.
Click to expand...
You may as well just have kept a flip phone.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: techfreak23, Mr. Heckles and sideshowuniqueuser
Ad47uk said:
When something is default and most people really don't have a clue what they are using then yes, there is going to be a load of people using.

Myself, I disabled RCS, don;lt see the need for it and i don't need the features. SMS works fine for me.
Click to expand...
That’s a ridiculous stance🤦🏻‍♂️ so for some bizarre reason you turn off newer better messaging to use an ancient standard that can’t even send decent photos?
 
  • Like
Reactions: kolebee, gusmula, jml12286 and 8 others
Best part of iOS 18 is RCS. Coming in iOS 19 I understand we will get edit after sending and unsend.

Could I use WhatsApp or Signal or Facebook Messenger instead? I could. But RCS is simple. Android people get to use Google Messages and I get to use Apple Messages. Win Win
 
  • Like
Reactions: DakotaGuy
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back