RCS Coming to Messages in iOS 18 for Improved Texts With Android Users

[spazzcat]

nope.

and better option is to force Apple to implement iMessage for Android/Windows.

even better option is to get users to use a third party service like Telegram.

I don't want any more messaging apps. And RCS is the open version of iMessage.

 

[truthsteve]

Or just get an esim for a carrier that is in Japan.

data only esims don't have RCS support, you'll have to pay extra for a Japanese phone number and even then, not all esims with Japanese phone number support RCS.

I used data only esims just fine with iMessage. and plenty use a single mobile hotspot to share with the family.

 

[truthsteve]

I don't want any more messaging apps. And RCS is the open version of iMessage.

ok then cross platform iMessage.

 

[tehabe]

Because I have no need for it and I don’t want it on my phone.

So just ignore it, as if I have to ignore most AI announcements today. People might send you RCS messages in the future and you might send RCS messages back, just like today you might have done with SMS. I'm very confused about it.

 

[magicman32]

ew no thanks. I'm turning this off the moment it's introduced.

RCS is terrible. wish Apple would not support this. it's confusing as hell and locks in consumers to carriers. who thought this was a good idea? terrible protocol 🤦‍♂️

It really is disturbing to see someone trash something they have no clue a how,it works. I mean, I know this guy is pro-Apple but this improves everybody‘s texting experience. Unless, of course, you don’t know anyone with an Android phone.

 

[scorpio vega]

Did you also turn of SMS and phone calls?

Cute. But no.

I don’t mind sms. I’ve never had any issue and aside from an unfortunate vocal minority, millions of others were just fine with sms.

And it’s 2024. Who uses the phone for phone calls lmao. I think I actively used my phone less than an hour in the last month to call.

Again I use FaceTime and I don’t talk to android users.

and better option is to force Apple to implement iMessage for Android/Windows.

No. I’m glad that it isn’t coming to android.

 

[scorpio vega]

So just ignore it, as if I have to ignore most AI announcements today. People might send you RCS messages in the future and you might send RCS messages back, just like today you might have done with SMS. I'm very confused about it.

I’ll be turning it off so it’s fine. I still hate the idea of it on my phone.

The AI stuff actually doesn’t bother me as much as much I anticipated.

 

[TLuc]

you're locked in to using a carrier for RCS. why is everyone so confused about the statement?

you're locked into using a carrier. the moment you stop paying a carrier, you cannot use RCS.

a SIM card is using a carrier.

Well you need a valid Sim card as well to activate iMessage on an iPhone so you still need a phone number to get iMessage working just like with RCS.
And again you need a phone number/sim card you can uses whatever you want.
You are not locked into any carrier , you can change providers freely. If you stop paying a carrier for cell service you phone will become paperweight.

 

[vipergts2207]

you're locked in to using a carrier for RCS. why is everyone so confused about the statement?

you're locked into using a carrier. the moment you stop paying a carrier, you cannot use RCS.

a SIM card is using a carrier.

“Unlike SMS, which uses a cellular network connection to send and receive messages, RCS uses a data connection, which means that messages can be sent and received even when there is no cellular network coverage.

When a user sends an RCS message, the message is sent over the internet to the recipient’s device.”

https://nativemsg.com/resources/does-rcs-work-without-internet/#:~:text=Unlike%20SMS%2C%20which%20uses%20a,internet%20to%20the%20recipient's%20device.

 

[d686546s]

Because I have no need for it and I don’t want it on my phone.

I bet there's plenty of other features on your phone that you don't need? Why the hate for this one?

 

[TLuc]

you mean users need to learn what RCS features Apple is going to support?

You say it like it's a long list of features or something.
I would say no, if Apple designd well their app it should be intuitive and easy to notice what features RSC supports. At least it is with Google Messages.

 

[truthsteve]

Well you need a valid Sim card as well to activate iMessage on an iPhone

I signed up my aunt for iMessage on iPad without a simcard

 

[vipergts2207]

Because I have no need for it and I don’t want it on my phone.

So don’t use it. Utterly insignificant problem solved.

 

[scorpio vega]

So don’t use it. Utterly insignificant problem solved.

Thanks for telling me this. I had no idea I could
Do this. /sarcasm

 

[vipergts2207]

ok then cross platform iMessage.

Umm, then tell Apple, not us.

 

[scorpio vega]

I bet there's plenty of other features on your phone that you don't need? Why the hate for this one?

Exactly. I don’t use spotlight because I refuse to use Google.

Rcs being hailed as a savior and fix to a problem almost nobody complained about is annoying.

the only good thing is iMessage is still apple only for the time being. I’ve told my circle to disable rcs and I will be doing the same.

I don’t care about making android users feel better about choosing to use an inferior ecosystem.

 

[applefanboysince93]

Anyone know how to turn it on or is it not on beta 1?

 

[TLuc]

It may be difficult but let’s use a little common sense.

When I was a broke college kid, I also did the same.

Yeah I do recommend you use common sense, your generalization is a huge stretch.

 

[diskrisk]

I really wish it was a different kind of green, for sms too. The low contrast is horrible, and I assume that it's intentional.

Edit: spelling is off today.

I doubt it's intentional, that was the same shade of green that was used for SMS on iPhoneOS before iMessage was introduced. But I would find it very iconic if Apple genuinely said "let's make talking to Android users a literal eyesore by choosing a low contrast bright green"

 

[truthsteve]

You say it like it's a long list of features or something.

Group chat?
- group chat leaving announcement notifications?
- group chat audio?
- group chat video?
- group size limit?
Standard file size limit?
Photo/video default resolution?
Typing Indicators?
RCS business interactive buttons capability?

without googling, do you know if these are all standardized across all RCS today by all carriers?

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I doubt it's intentional, that was the same shade of green that was used for SMS on iPhoneOS before iMessage was introduced. But I would find it very iconic if Apple genuinely said "let's make talking to Android users a literal eyesore by choosing a low contrast bright green"

The text was black before iOS 7. Afterwards the text changed to white, significantly reducing contrast.

It would be very on-brand for them to do intentionally.

 

[mburkhard]

or let the free market speak and let people choose a third party service, like Telegram.

Uh-huh, free market worked super well in Europe! Over here everyone is forced to use WhatsApp because everyone else uses WhatsApp, even though the software is rubbish. So "free market" decided that everyone needs to use the same software to communicate with everyone else.

A common messaging protocol is the ONLY solution!
You know, like e-mail, telephone or fax was. Imagine the outcry if you could only send an e-mail to someone using the same e-mail software as you do? Of course not! So what's perfectly normal for all previous forms of communication is suddenly no longer valid for text messaging on smartphones? Where's the logic in that!

There are limits to how far "free market" should be allowed to reach. And thanks to RCS support on Apple, I can finally ditch WhatsApp once and for all, happy days ahead!

 

[diskrisk]

The text was black before iOS 7. Afterwards the text changed to white, significantly reducing contrast.

It would be very on-brand for them to do intentionally.

It also was black for iMessage and it changed to white after iOS 7. That doesn't prove anything. Text had to be black to be legible above the background gradient and the top reflection of the bubble. Once the bubble could be flat and had a less radical gradient, they could change it to white. It's just a result from updating the HIGs, not some sort of "intentional evil design made to make people not like SMS"

 

[spinedoc77]

Ah. So I can connect to Telegram without using any provider, just cancel all cell and ISP subscriptions? It radiates out of my phone for free?

Yep, just like magic. Honestly I don't understand where the argument is coming from that RCS locks you into a carrier. I get the point that you need a carrier to send/receive RCS (although arguably you can do it over wifi if I'm not mistaken, although I'm not sure if that's still pure RCS). But you need an ISP to send Telegram or WhatsApp (and arguably you are "locked" into a carrier if you are sending Telegram/WhatsApp without an internet connection), I don't hear anyone complaining that you are locked into an ISP. Very weird argument against RCS.

 

[TLuc]

Group chat?
- group chat leaving announcement notifications?
- group chat audio?
- group chat video?
- group size limit?
Standard file size limit?
Photo/video default resolution?
Typing Indicators?
RCS business interactive buttons capability?

without googling, do you know if these are all standardized across all RCS today by all carriers?

Now you just made that up for no reason.
Here in case you missed it:

• 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.
• Read receipts.
• Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an RCS message over Wi-Fi.
• Improved group chats.

Simple and intuitive list, most of these can be figured out by just using the feature.

 

[Aoligei]

I honestly don’t understand the hate with RCS messaging by some forum users.

You don’t need to use it, if you don’t want to use. For us, who has family members or colleagues using Android, RCS is life saving. Ability to send high resolution photos, read/deliver indicators, group messaging etc.

By the way, RCS has not yet being enabled by Apple.