Google has been pushing for Apple to adopt RCS messaging, a more modern standard that promises to improve texting features like typing indicators and high-quality group chats. Apple announced in late 2023 that RCS support would be coming to iOS in 2024, bringing hope for improved texting between Android and iOS users. However, for RCS to truly replace old standards like SMS and MMS, it needs to be available on all phones, not just Android and iPhone. This includes basic phones and alternative Android texting apps that have yet to integrate RCS.
Basic phones, such as retro flip phones and candybar-style devices, have seen a resurgence in popularity. Companies like HMD have been creating these phones with limited web capabilities, such as Google Maps or WhatsApp. While basic phones may continue to use T9 texting due to numerical keypads, the efficiency boost that RCS brings, like improved group chat support and typing indicators, could benefit users tapping out short texts.
Online services that provide virtual phone numbers, such as Google Voice and Zoom Phone, are still stuck using SMS and MMS for messaging. Google, a leader in the RCS push, has not yet enabled these services to access the more modern messaging standard. Services like Google Voice and Zoom Phone would greatly benefit from RCS integration, making them easier and more efficient to use for SMS and MMS messaging.
Android texting apps, despite being the main platform supporting RCS, do not all have access to the standard. Third-party apps like Pulse SMS do not currently support RCS, as Google has not provided a way for developers to integrate with it. Beeper has managed to integrate RCS support through an unofficial connection with Google Messages, showcasing the need for more open access to RCS for third-party developers. Google works closely with phone manufacturers like Samsung to integrate RCS into their messaging apps.
While RCS is making progress in the messaging world, there is still a long way to go before it becomes a dominant standard. Features like high-resolution media sharing, read receipts, and encryption will be crucial for the widespread adoption of RCS. As Apple begins to support RCS on the iPhone, it will be a key test to see how interoperable RCS texting truly is across different devices and services. Until RCS becomes universally available, SMS and MMS will remain as the dominant, yet antiquated, messaging standards in use.
