What’s taking place
Google’s lobbying Apple to assist the RCS textual content message customary on the iPhone with a brand new web site marketing campaign.
Why it issues
Google’s been championing the RCS customary as a alternative to SMS and MMS, claiming that assist on the iPhone would dramatically enhance texting throughout gadgets.
What’s subsequent
Whereas RCS adoption in iOS 16 is uncertain, Apple is launching new options inside iMessage when iOS 16 will get its public launch presumably in September.
Google’s Android group is launching a brand new web site marketing campaign Tuesday targeted on asking Apple to assist the RCS textual content messaging customary in Apple’s Messages app.
The web site places a specific give attention to Apple’s “inexperienced bubble” expertise when messages are delivered over the SMS and MMS requirements, comparable to the shortage of typing indicators, compressed photos and fewer management over group chats in contrast with iMessage and most chat apps. RCS consists of many options seen in iMessage in addition to chat apps like WhatsApp and Sign, together with typing indicators, encrypted message and higher-quality picture sending.
The marketing campaign is the most recent effort by Google to encourage Apple to make use of the RCS textual content customary, which at present stays an Android-only textual content messaging service with half a billion month-to-month lively customers. Whereas RCS now has the assist of the foremost US cellular carriers, with out adoption inside Apple’s Messages app or inside gadgets like primary telephones, it is basically an “iMessage” for under Android telephones.
Google’s marketing campaign web site lists Sign and WhatsApp as cross-platform options to Apple’s iMessage. Notably — regardless of Google’s historical past of making its personal failed chat apps — it is not together with Google’s new Chat app that is changing Hangouts.
It is notable, nonetheless, that Google’s funding in RCS — in any other case often called Chat inside Android’s Messages app — comes after years of failed makes an attempt to domesticate its personal chat app service. Most not too long ago Google even created a separate app to substitute its Hangouts service that is additionally named Chat, and its Duo video name app is merging with Google Meet.
The marketing campaign web site additionally suggests cross-platform chat apps like Sign and Meta’s WhatsApp as choices to get a extra common texting expertise, versus attempting to maneuver folks into one other Google-owned service. WhatsApp on Tuesday additionally introduced new privateness options that add the flexibility to quietly go away group chats, cover your on-line standing and block screenshots of content material meant to be considered as soon as.
Google’s lobbying to Apple comes a month earlier than the iPhone-maker is predicted to extensively launch iOS 16, which provides the flexibility to edit and unsend messages which might be despatched over its iMessage service. Apple has stored silent on whether or not it plans to ultimately assist RCS, however the iOS 16 public beta does embody assist for message reactions despatched over SMS group chats.
Watch this:
Android Finally Has an Answer to iMessage Envy
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