RCS Messaging Hits 1 Billion Daily Messages in the US
Google announced that Rich Communication Services (RCS) now supports over one billion messages sent daily in the US. This milestone, based on a 28-day average, signifies significant growth for the next-generation messaging standard.
RCS offers several improvements over traditional SMS, including:
- High-resolution photos and videos
- Typing indicators and read receipts
- Enhanced group chat features
Apple's RCS Adoption Fuels Growth
Google's push for Apple to adopt RCS culminated in its inclusion in iOS 18. This integration allows for a more seamless messaging experience between Android and Apple devices. Previously, communication was hampered by limitations like blurry images and videos when sent between operating systems.
Prior to iOS 18 supporting RCS, managing group chats with both Android and iPhone users presented challenges. Features like renaming group chats, adding or removing participants, and leaving conversations were not fully supported. Emoji reactions also caused issues, often resulting in separate text messages explaining the reaction instead of displaying the emoji directly.
While Apple now supports RCS, messages from Android users still appear in green bubbles, maintaining a visual distinction from iMessage. This distinction remains significant, especially among younger users who often prefer the blue iMessage bubbles.
Google's announcement focused solely on the daily message volume. Further details regarding user numbers and carrier support were not provided.
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