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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."

5 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

  2. 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....

  3. 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.

  4. 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.