Google has repeatedly derided Apple's iMessage for not supporting the RCS-enhanced text messaging service. In June 2022, Google released a teaser mocking Apple for not supporting RCS. This year, she has already released two teasers with the same content, one in March 2023 and the other in May 2023. At its I/O 2023 developer conference, Google announced that more than 800 million people worldwide use RCS SMS. However, this does not include Apple iPhone users.
Just a few months after Google released its latest teaser criticizing Apple for not supporting RCS, the company has released another one. Google has released a new ad for a fake gadget called "iPager" that criticizes Apple for not supporting the RCS messaging service. It shows a device called "iPager," a reference to Apple's conversion of iMessages sent to Android devices and other platforms into old-fashioned SMS, as well as a mockery of MMS text messaging. In this article, we'll discuss what RCS is, why iMessage doesn't support it, and whether Apple is right to ignore it.
In the description of the YouTube video, Google noted:
"iPager doesn't exist, but the problems Apple creates with SMS do"… "Let's make SMS better for everyone and help Apple #GetTheMessage upgrade to RCS".
What is RCS?
RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is an update to the SMS standard that adds modern features such as typing indicators, read receipts, and support for high-resolution images to regular text messages. RCS is a messaging protocol created by Google to replace SMS, which is outdated, limited, and insecure. It's an open standard that adds modern features to regular text messages, such as group chats, read receipts, and high-resolution images and videos. RCS is essentially the next generation of text messaging for Android, replacing SMS or MMS with a more functional way of messaging.
While Google is pushing RCS for every Android user, Apple has never been open to the idea of implementing RCS on iOS. This is because Apple already has iMessage, an alternative solution to SMS that is only available on Apple devices.
Why doesn't iMessage support RCS?
CNET states that one of the reasons why iMessage doesn't support RCS is that not all carriers and devices support it yet. Verizon began supporting it in 2022, and T-Mobile in 2020. The lack of support makes it difficult for RCS to spread among Android users. CNET says that's why it hasn't reached the same level of ubiquity as iMessage.
Another reason why iMessage doesn't support RCS is because Apple has its own messaging service, iMessage, which is exclusive to Apple devices, reports 9t05mac. iMessage is a tool that helps lock down groups of customers in the ecosystem, and it serves as a way to distinguish Apple devices from Android devices. However, iMessage is only available on Apple devices. This ultimately affects chats between iPhone and Android users using the standard Messages app on their devices. Apple hasn't shown any interest in implementing RCS on iOS, and it's unclear if it will do so in the future.
Google is pushing Apple to implement RCS, arguing that Apple's support for RCS will help prevent some of the problems that arise when iPhone users correspond with Android owners. However, Apple continues to ignore RCS on the iPhone. Apple hasn't implemented RCS on iOS, despite Google insisting that every Android user use it.
iMessage is very important to Apple, and it will not do anything to jeopardize it. A court document in the legal dispute between Epic Games and Apple shows that Apple's iMessage platform is a key service that locks users into its ecosystem. The court document also reveals that Apple believes that bringing iMessage to Android "will do us more harm than good."
Is Apple right to ignore RCS?
According to an article in Digital Trends, Apple is right to ignore RCS on the iPhone, despite all the very good reasons for implementing it. The article claims that RCS doesn't solve any problems for users and that Google is just playing a transparent "Hail Mary" game. RCS has been available for so long that even non-Windows Phones can support it, provided they have an RCS-compatible SIM card. Google didn't implement RCS back then, and it wasn't until the company failed to promote proprietary messaging app after proprietary messaging app that it finally switched to RCS as the new best-of-breed technology.
Final words
RCS is a messaging protocol created by Google to replace SMS that brings modern features to regular text messages. Apple hasn't implemented RCS in iOS, even though Google insists that every Android user use it. Apple has iMessage, its own solution to replace SMS, and it's unclear whether it will adopt RCS in the future. While RCS has its merits, it's unclear whether it solves any problems for users, and Apple may be right to ignore it.
Mobile phone brands such as Samsung have adopted RCS technology, but Apple insists on its own iMessage standards, much to Google's displeasure. Last January, Google senior vice president Hiroshi Lockheimer criticized Apple for "obstructing the user experience." However, Apple's position has not wavered at all. At last year's developer conference, Tim Cook said that anyone frustrated with "green information bubbles" should buy an iPhone. So we can see that this is a double-edged sword. Google wants Apple to use RCS for obvious reasons, it will have more users. However, for Apple, iMessage provides the same services as RCS. Thus, she has no need for RCS.
