In a surprising move, Apple has announced today that it will adopt the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard. The feature will launch via a software update “later next year” and bring a wide range of iMessage-style features to messaging between iPhone and Android users.

Apple’s decision comes amid pressure from regulators and competitors like Google and Samsung. It also comes as RCS has continued to develop and become a more mature platform than it once was.

    • @RGB3x3
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      51 year ago

      What are you talking about? Google doesn’t have a proprietary chat app that they force on everyone. The Messages app is for SMS, MMS, and RCS, just like every phone that’s ever gone out has had a messaging app for SMS.

      And Apple purposely hamstringing their messaging features in favor of iMessage for so long has been anti-cooperative and anti-consumer.

      Allowing for better interoperability between Android and iPhone is a good thing and it’s asinine to think otherwise.