Samsung is bringing RCS messaging to its phones following NewNet acquisition

Samsung acquired RCS operator NewNet Canada back in November, and the South Korean manufacturer is now integrating NewNet's technologies into its phones. To that effect, the company is expanding RCS services to include "RCS-enabled devices, native/downloadable device clients, cloud-based RCS application servers, an interconnectivity hub among operators and a third-party monetization platform." The company's RCS solution will be available on all Galaxy phones running Marshmallow and above.

Samsung's RCS solution features group chats, video calls, and large file transfers, similar to the likes of WhatsApp and Hangouts. Samsung also mentions that its service will support interconnectivity among other RCS-enabled operators, leading to a seamless experience for customers. Its solution is compliant with the GSMA RCS spec, and Samsung has said that it is partnering with Deutsche Telekom, KT, SK Telecom, T-Mobile and Vodafone to increase the availability of RCS.

The news comes a few days after Google announced a landmark move to pre-install Android Messages — the new avatar of Google Messenger — on phones from over 20 handset manufacturers.

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.