The future of the future ...
Pay close attention to the RCS football as Google tees it up again
20
Google taking RCS Chat into its own hands and bypassing the carriers will help, but it won't create a messaging utopia.
RCS
It's RCS time
What does Google offering RCS mean for me?
30
This doesn't solve everything but it should make texting a better experience for most people without installing any specific app or buying a certain phone. And that's great news.
A step in the right direction
Google will now directly offer RCS features instead of waiting on carriers
22
Phone and carrier compatibility issues have made rolling out RCS a pain in the butt. Google's now taking matters into its own hands to do something about it.
iMperfect
iMessage for Android is the messaging solution we need, not the one we want
197
Some Android users claim they want an official iMessage app to fix their messaging woes
It's here
Verizon has launched RCS Chat on the Pixel 3 series
12
Verizon is finally ready to roll out its RCS chat service, starting with the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.
Now we're getting somewhere
Verizon confirms RCS support is coming in early 2019
19
The RCS standard is about to take a big leap forward with Verizon confirming support for it in early 2019.
feature rich
Freedom Mobile is rolling out RCS support for Android Messages
10
Canadian wireless carrier Freedom Mobile has confirmed that it now supports RCS features in Android Messages.
Collaborate and Listen
RCS features will work between Android Messages and Samsung Messages users
29
Thanks to a new partnership, it's been confirmed that RCS messaging features will work seamlessly between Android Messages and Samsung Messages apps.
Safer communications ...
Google and Android are still failing us on messaging and encryption
95
Refusing to offer default end-to-end encrypted messaging — nevermind doing so across platforms — in 2018 is technological malpractice.
Developing the future
These are all the carriers that support Google's 'Chat' enhanced messaging
67
Google pledged its support for Rich Communications Services back in 2015, and last week we heard that the company is looking to build out a suite of advanced messaging services into its Android Messages app that leverage the standard.
Big move
Google evolving Android Messages with new 'Chat' features, put Allo on hold
118
Stop me if you've heard this before: Google has a plan to launch a unified messaging system. But this time it's different — Google is going to launch a new service called "Chat," built right into Android Messages using RCS.
Thank you thank you thank you
T-Mobile is finally adopting the GSMA's RCS Universal Profile
28
In Q2 of this year, T-Mobile's network will officially support the RCS Universal Profile created by GSMA.
It's RCS time
Huawei joins RCS movement by using Android Messages as default texting app
12
RCS is the next evolution of SMS/MMS messaging, and Huawei is now working with Google to help speed up its adoption by carriers and other partners.
One service to rule them all
Google is making it easier for carriers to communicate over RCS
22
Google is also working closely with carriers to make RCS ubiquitous on Android, and one way of doing that is taking a hub approach that makes it easier for carriers to connect to one another.
SMS is so passé
Samsung is bringing RCS messaging to its phones
18
Samsung acquired RCS operator NewNet Canada back in November, and the South Korean manufacturer is now integrating NewNet's technologies into its own phones.
The new default
Google positions Android Messages as the default SMS app on Android
56
Google Messenger has picked up an update that renames the app to Android Messages. The app will now be installed on default on handsets from over 20 phone makers as Google pushes ahead with RCS.
It's coming
RCS for T-Mobile subscribers could be here any day now
40
Users have reported seeing the RCS support option sprout up in Messenger for Google's settings panel.
Better messaging
Google commits to Rich Communications Services standard
10
Google has announced that the company has acquired Jibe Mobile, an early leader in Rich Communications Services (RCS) in an effort to bring the standard to a global audience.