As many of you have heard, Google is attempting to redefine the humble text message with RCS. The upside to this system is that it will offer an enhanced texting experience that is universal across multiple devices. It is also meant to challenge the likes of Apple’s iMessage which is only exclusive to iOS devices.However, the only problem with the new RCS system is that Google has been waiting for carriers to rollout the feature, but unfortunately, it seems that carriers are taking longer than they should. So much so that according to a report from The Verge, Google seems to be taking matters into their own hands by rolling out the feature themselves.
However, unlike a centralized server which is what iMessage uses, Google’s RCS will instead attempt to find out if the recipient of the message has a device that supports RCS. If they do, then they will be able to enjoy all the benefits associated with RCS, such as read receipts, better quality media, and so on.
Unfortunately, as much as RCS is meant to disrupt the SMS model, the problem is that it is not end-to-end encrypted, a problem that Google has acknowledged and is working on it. Speaking to The Verge, product management director overseeing Android Messages, Sanaz Ahari said, “We fundamentally believe that communication, especially messaging, is highly personal and users have a right to privacy for their communications. And we’re fully committed to finding a solution for our users.”