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Google Renames Messenger To Android Messages as the Company Pushes RCS (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the making-do-with-anything dept.

We have come a long way from the age of flip phones and nine-key texting. Even as if group messaging and instant messengers took over, the SMS has largely retained its core standard over the years. Google wants to change that, and for this, it has been working with hundreds of carriers and manufacturers around the world to bring the text message into the 21st century. Using a standard called Rich Communications Services, the group plans to make a texting app that comes with your phone and is every bit as powerful as those dedicated messaging apps. This would make all the best features available to everyone with an Android phone. From a report on BetaNews: Just last week we were talking about Google's championing of RCS (Rich Communication Services), the successor to SMS. Now the company has renamed its Messenger app to Android Messages as it aims to become not just the default SMS app, but the default RCS app for Android users. Part of the reason for the name change is to convey the idea that the app is now about more than just one type of message. Google is betting big on RCS and this is hinted at in the app update description which says it adds "Simpler sign-up for enhanced features on supported carriers."

12 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Who is asking for this?

    1. Re:Question by unixisc · · Score: 2

      Actually, it's already there - for anyone who's downloaded WhatsApp and uses it. One can use text, and some hundreds of emojis (even if their looks vary from Android to iOS to Windows) Issue w/ Google is that WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, so people using WhatsApp in no way helps Google

    2. Re:Question by lgw · · Score: 2

      Who is asking for this?

      Certainly not the security guys. I like the fact that an SMS is not some Turing-complete language in which malware can be coded - unlike PDF, PS, Word, etc. Even as simple as it is, phones still get it wrong, but it's no where near as bad as PDF.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    3. Re:Question by OolimPhon · · Score: 2

      Now that smartphones are ubiquitous, what's the point of SMS? Everyone has fast, easy, mobile access to email, which has none of the limitations of SMS (message size, tied to a device and not a person, etc.). Email, you can access on your phone, your PC, your tablet, or even a public web terminal in many cases. It even lets you communicate to someone without a phone!

      Email requires you to have an email server, which either you or someone else (read: google) must host.

      All you need for SMS is a phone number. No middle man.

  2. The real reasons ... by stevez67 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1. easier to data mine
    2. easier to deliver targeted ads
    3. more control over the ad revenue

    1. Re:The real reasons ... by fred6666 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      you forget:

      4. easier to charge for each message
      5. easier for the police to get the meta data (who you've sent messages to)
      6. easier to block you from keeping your identifier (phone number) when you migrate to another country

      RCS should be killed with fire. The only worse messaging protocol is Apple iMessage, because it is single vendor.

  3. They already have by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's called iMessage.

    just in case ou were wondering why Google is pushing RCS now... who knew that the part of iOS 10 many people laughed at, iMessage stickers, would be a smash ht for Apple that had Google scrambling to come up with an answer for?

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  4. Goog by fluffernutter · · Score: 2

    If google ls pushing this, there must be more scanning happening here somewhere that they can profit from. I will stay with plain text and less invasion of privacy thanks.

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  5. But what about the other messaging services? by tlhIngan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hangouts? Allo? Duo?

    Are they getting this same feature?

    It's getting confusing with Google now with them spawning, killing or changing a messaging client so often....

  6. No end to end encryption? Thumbs down. by ctilsie242 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I like Google, but this is yet another half-assed "standard". AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are not on board, there is no endpoint encryption, and it looks like it can be another vector for exploits because of "rich" content (i.e. ads.)

    Heck with this. Give me something like Signal or TextSecure as a messaging app which stores received stuff encrypted.

  7. Re:At least they didn't rename the app this time by mrmaster · · Score: 2

    No, after the update a short while ago my phone now says Messages. Also, Inbox is not the same as gmail.

  8. Re:Great! by arth1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    RCS is a dead end technology.

    Nah, I still find use for it when other version control systems are impractical. It's very lean, for one thing.