In a surprising move, Apple has announced today that it will adopt the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard. The feature will launch via a software update “later next year” and bring a wide range of iMessage-style features to messaging between iPhone and Android users.

Apple’s decision comes amid pressure from regulators and competitors like Google and Samsung. It also comes as RCS has continued to develop and become a more mature platform than it once was.

  • Free Palestine 🇵🇸@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    Until we get an API for RCS on Android as well as FOSS implementations of RCS, I will happily continue using Signal. Even after RCS gets rolled out, Signal will probably still be a better option, because it shares as little metadata as possible and as much of it as possible is end-to-end encrypted.

  • tomo@reddit.azumanga.gay
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    8 months ago

    ok so the main hope here as a non google messages user is that this forces google to actually open up rcs more
    because the fact that on android its de facto completely controlled by google (yes, i know its an open standard, thats why apple can do it separately, but you can still functionally monopolize an open standard) really sucks
    like man i just want apis for rcs in aosp finally is that too much to ask for :(

    • gnurd@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      It says in the artical they plan to use rcs the standard as currently published by the GSM Association. So I assume they won’t be using Google version. Unless I’m misunderstanding it.

        • gnurd@sh.itjust.works
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          8 months ago

          I’m not denying that. Later on in the article it goes into further detail about how apple use the GSM RCS standard and “work to improve it”. Which means they won’t use Google’s version. So now we see what Google will do as Apple will not be working with them on the Google version after all their fuss about rcs.

          My wife and I have a pixel while the rest of my family useses iPhone so I am quite interested in how this will turn out. If there is a way the two meet on the GSM standard I think it will be great. But will Google be willing to do that?

  • N-E-N@lemmy.ca
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    8 months ago

    This is great but surprising news. Hopefully the implementation is actually good

  • June@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Man, I’ve been saying they’re gonna do this soon and I’ve been piled on by so many people on lemmy for it. Some of you really are clowns and are blinded by your hate for Apple.

    Edit: hurt some butts again lmao. Cowards.