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.
Google flat out doesn’t allow it. Not even side loaded.
RCS isn’t the open standard Google claims it to be. They don’t allow anyone to make an RCS app that isn’t Google or an approved manufacturer. They also control the majority of the back end infrastructure with their Jibe service.
You would be hard pressed to find someone using RCS that doesn’t have some of their conversations going through Google’s service.
Google was pressuring Apple to move to RCS as it would give Google more data about iPhone users, as most of their chats would go through Google’s Jibe servers. This would help more conversations from SMS, WhatsApp, telegram and signal to RCS. This open standard is Google getting serious about being the messaging monopoly.
If Apple is series about privacy for their users they will implement their own RCS server infrastructure and compete with Jibe. Giving carriers more options in providing RCS service. While also pushing all iPhone users through their own servers.
If Apple isn’t implementing their own RCS server infrastructure it’ll be because Google is paying them to use RCS and leave it dependent on Google. Essentially making the default messaging service on Android and iPhone Jibe RCS.