It’s been a long time since Google started pushing RCS as a new standard for texting, replacing SMS and SMS. While the company works on getting more players onboard, the Mountain View-based tech giant keeps on adding new features.

In a new development, Google has announced that all users will now have RCS enabled by default unless it was previously disabled by the user. Also, RCS messages in the Messages app will now be fully end-to-end encrypted by default.

As for the enrollment in RCS, instead of manually enrolling for the service or registering with a phone number, the enrollment will now happen automatically and silently in the background, without the need for user input.

With end-to-end encryption, the messages will remain private from Google as well as network carriers, making it a big milestone for the service. The company has also announced that the group chats in Messages are also end-to-end encrypted.

Apart from encryption, RCS comes with several improvements over the standard SMS, such as typing indicators, read receipts, as well as the ability to share high-resolution photos and videos.

Google Messages is now looking like the true iMessage competitor for Android users. While Google is working on convincing more manufacturers to adopt RCS, Apple is a major holdout but if Apple adopts it, then texting between iPhone and Android phones would be much better.

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This week marks the 30-year anniversary of the Short Messaging Service, or SMS. To celebrate, Google said that beginning in the upcoming weeks, its Messages app would offer end-to-end encryption for group chats. For a few years now, this capability has been accessible for one-on-one conversations. End-to-end encryption for group chats is only accessible to Messages users who have registered for the beta programme, therefore you must do so in order to try it.

Google also announced that the Messages app will soon enable users to react to RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages with any emoji, in addition to announcing end-to-end encryption for group chats. WhatsApp recently implemented a feature of the same kind. To the uninformed, RCS is simply an enhanced SMS. SMS messaging misses many of the features that smartphones have to offer, but RCS gives you the ability to text over Wi-Fi, send and receive high-quality images and videos, see typing indicators and read receipts in real-time, add or remove friends from group chats, and much more.

No matter where you live, who made your phone, or what operating system it runs, RCS is designed to work on any phone. As a result, you can enjoy the same texting experience on any phone. With the exception of Apple, all of the major mobile carriers and manufacturers have adopted RCS as the standard, according to Google, which also used the anniversary of SMS as an opportunity to criticise Apple for not embracing RCS. Apple continues to rely on SMS and refuses to use RCS, leaving messaging stuck in the 1990s when individuals with iPhones message people with Android phones.

Google has begun a variety of initiatives to highlight the benefits of RCS and has been promoting its use for months. The Cupertino giant has been under pressure to switch to RCS, but the company is resolute about keeping with iMessage. The course of this development will be intriguing to watch.

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The latest Samsung Galaxy S22 series smartphones in the United States come pre-installed with Google Messages as the default messaging application which has support for Rich Communication Services (RCS).

Prior to this, Samsung had its own stock messaging app that was compatible with RCS which was the default SMS application on the South Korean giant’s devices in almost all regions before it started transitioning to Google Messages.

This is a new development for the Samsung premium smartphones in the United States by in the European market, the Sout Korean company switched to Google Messages as the default app with last year’s Galaxy S21 lineup.

The company has also confirmed this move and in a statement, Samsung spokesperson Jordan Guthmann said: “To create the best possible messaging experience for users — with a richer, more engaging communication experience that is consistent across platforms — Samsung is now making Messages the default messaging app for Galaxy S22 series users worldwide, giving them even better capabilities.”

Given that Samsung makes up a significant portion of Android smartphones sold in the United States, the adoption of Google Messages could be proved to be a boon for RCS adoption in the region.

For those who are unaware, Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a next-gen SMS texting version that comes with features like typing indicators, read receipts, and the ability to share higher resolution photos and larger files, among others.

While the technology isn’t new, it has taken many years for it to reach the market. Although companies agrees to replace SMS with RCS in 2019, telecom network operators in the US started making changes from last year by adding Google Messages, which now has end-to-end encryption, as the default messaging app on their Android phones.

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Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Indian government has implemented a strict countrywide lockdown. This has caused various non-essential businesses to be affected but it seems that Vivo India has found a new workaround for this. The company will now let customers buy its smartphones through its offline stores with just an SMS.

The new system will let prospective buyers send an inquiry to Vivo via an SMS, the company’s official website, or even the Facebook page. Through this, one of the 30,000 Vivo brand ambassadors will get in contact with the customer. After which the company executive can enquire about the buyers’ requirements and help them in buying a new smartphone through any one of the 20,000 physical retail stores in India.

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As of right now, the SMS based system is already in place and is operational while the other two platforms will soon launch in the country before the 12th of May 2020. According to Nipun Marya, Director Brand Strategy of Vivo India,”Majority of consumers in India still prefer to buy offline. However, considering lockdown and the post lockdown scenario, some consumers may be wary of stepping out. So, we have developed a platform that meets the needs of the customers and also helps the retails resume their business as usual.”

The above statement was given out during an interview which also had the Vivo India official discuss other aspects of the system as well. This includes the distribution channel, customer analysis, and even inventory and stock. The Chinese company is a popular smartphone brand in the country and will adapt according to the demand and popularity of the new system.

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The traditional messaging system, SMS, is being replaced in China for a newer and more advanced version. 5G messaging will be released in the Southeast Asian country and will be jointly released by three major telecommunications operators.

According to public announcements by the operators, the telecom companies will be fully upgrading their basic text messaging system that is currently in place. 5G messaging will be a hallmark for innovation and offer a better experience overall. The new system has various advantages which also has direct ties to the users’ identity.

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SMS being replaced will allow users to also have a unified messaging platform. In other words, a universal system that would reduce the need for people to rely on third party messaging applications. The improvements also include an enhanced method of B2C interaction, with a chatbot also being included. 5G messaging will seek to replace the aging SMS system and bring about more modern features in its place.

For those unaware, China is currently looking at the large scale adoption of 5G networking and its mainstream inclusion. This opens up many areas of development, especially in the forms of digital commerce. Thus, a huge market opportunity will also emerge, with payments and transactions being made digitally, becoming a more common occurrence.

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Matti Makkonen is a Finnish engineer who created the Short Messaging Service (SMS) in 1984. So innovative, for those invention, Makkonen receives Innovation Award from The Economist magazine. Even so he never patented the idea.

SMS was created for a purpose, namely to create a simple text messaging system, allowing the recipient to remain will receive messages even if the phone is turned off or is not getting a signal. The first SMS stating Merry Christmas! and sent in 1992 from a PC to a GSM phone.

And now, SMS will be getting 20 years old and here are the brief history of SMS in simple infographics diagram, check it out:

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