Lo, the art of text messaging hath graced our lives for over three decades now. Verily, the very technology that doth power the messaging systems of our day is ancient, outdated even, with a colorful history behind those delightful emojis and the ability to partake in group chats.
But pray tell, what doth set apart the realm of Short Messaging Services (SMS) from that of Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS)? And what of the more recent arrival – Rich Communication Services (RCS)? Yon, why should thou care, and how doth this tangled web impact the denizens of iPhone and Android realms? Allow me to illuminate thee on these distinct messaging platforms and their impact on thine ability to converse with comrades and kin.
The annals of text messaging doth trace back to a time ere now, to the year 1984 when the foundations of SMS were laid. ‘Twas not until the nineties, as the BBC doth relay, that SMS emerged into the mainstream, with the first message “Merry Christmas” sent in December 1992 by Vodafone’s Neil Papworth from his Orbitel 901 to his boss, Richard Jarvis – who did anon reply. By the next year, Nokia had bestowed SMS upon all their GSM phones, and in 1995, it did launch commercially on many a carrier. Thus, the stage was set for what was to come.
Even in this day and age, the supremacy of SMS over other messaging services doth lie in its reliability and omnipresence. It doth dwell on all phones, from the humble feature phones to the illustrious smartphones like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra. ‘Tis a technology that knows no bounds, serving across carriers and even without a data plan, as SMS messages do travel on the same channels as voice calls. By contrast, the famed iMessage of Apple doth require cellular data or Wi-Fi to function, else it doth resort to the green bubble of SMS.
As the year 2002 dawned, carriers and phone makers realized that the textual realm of SMS would not suffice in an age of emerging camera phones. Thus, the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) was born unto the world, gracing the Sony-Ericsson T68i with its presence. This extension to SMS allowed for the sending of images, audio clips, and even brief videos, albeit in resolutions of the most meager sort by today’s standards.
With SMS/MMS omnipresent, ’tis no wonder that they do remain among the most widely used messaging services. Built into every phone, one can verily reach another soul with naught but their phone number. ‘Tis unnecessary even to know the device they wield – enter their number, craft a brief missive, and press the send button.
Yet, for all their prowess, SMS/MMS do bring their own vexations. The ease with which they operate doth not always equate to excellence. Though modern smartphones do strive to circumvent some limitations, there is but so much they may accomplish. For example, SMS messages art still bound to a paltry 160 characters per missive; though perchance thou not perceiveth, the messaging apps of iOS and Android doth splice and weave these messages together to present them as one.
In response to the surging demand for a more refined universal messaging standard, the GSM Association (GSMA) did devise the next iteration of SMS/MMS: Rich Communication Services (RCS). Aye, this new technology doth bear the future within its grasp, offering a vision of what is yet to come.
RCS may not be as fresh as one might think, having been in existence ere iMessage and WhatsApp. ‘Twas in 2007 that this new standard was proposed unto the GSMA, a scant five years after the debut of MMS. The GSMA, seeing the changing tides of smartphone technology, saw fit to enhance the aging messaging standard for the advent of a new era. Alas, with myriad carriers and device makers at the table, ’twas a venture that ne’er gained substantial traction.
‘Twas not till Google did seize the torch and embark on this journey that the carriers did take heed. In 2015, Google did acquire Jibe Mobile, and in early 2016, they did declare their intent to lead the charge towards an RCS future. ‘Twas then that Google, in alliance with Sprint, did bring RCS unto that carrier’s domains.
Not to be outshone by Google, the trio of U.S. carriers – AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon – did forge their own plans for RCS in 2019. By then, Sprint was in the throes of being acquired by T-Mobile, rendering the Google-Sprint RCS pact of yore less significant. The Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI), as the plan was dubbed, sought to birth an RCS implementation that would not yield another iMessage-esque service which would emerge sans their involvement. They, too, did seek their share of the spoils.
Yet, this collaboration did falter, leaving RCS predominantly in Google’s hands. Perchance this was for the best, for ’twas whispered that the CCMI had designs to create its own standalone RCS app, a third-party messaging app of yet another sort. Comparatively, Google had by then woven RCS into its freshly re-christened Google Messages app, as the SMS substitute it was meant to be.
Thus, carriers and manufacturers did gradually adopt Google Messages as the default messaging app on all their devices. Even Samsung, with its own RCS-compatible Samsung Messages app, did place Google Messages as the default upon its new smartphones. Though Samsung Messages doth come preinstalled as an alternate, still it doth utilize the selfsame RCS standard as found in Google Messages.
For its part, Google hath added an extension unto RCS to uphold end-to-end encryption in Google Messages – a feature not presently part of the RCS Universal Standard.
Shall RCS supplant SMS in its entirety, thou may query? ‘Tis indeed designed as the next generation of the message protocol. Yet, fear not, for SMS shall not fade too soon.
Forsooth, RCS doth necessitate a mobile data connection to operate, akin to iMessage, WhatsApp, and their ilk. SMS doth carry on over a voice-only cellular connection, and should remain as a fallback in times when Wi-Fi or cellular data may not be at hand. The Google Messages app may already transition betwixt RCS and SMS, even as Apple’s Messages app hath long traversed the realms of iMessage and SMS.
Perchance more importantly, RCS may never grace feature phones. Yea, even in this age, not all do pine for or require a smartphone. There do still exist those who dost hanker for a device where one may but make a call, and certain feature phones do prove sturdier than even the most robust of smartphones. SMS shall be a stalwart necessity for exchanging texts with such devices.
Yet, as RCS doth progress and become a standard across all smartphones, ’tis like that SMS messages of yore shall dwindle in use.
What then is ‘RCS Chat,’ thou may ponder? ‘Twas a term bandied about during Google’s initial embrace of RCS, a branding bestowed ‘pon their specific implementation of the technology. Thus spake they; however, in recent days, Google hath moved away from such labels, as their flavor of RCS hath become the dominant variant known to many.
In this era, RCS is most often associated with Google’s rendition of the technology, rather than the RCS Universal Standard. While the twain may be compatible, Google hath infused its version with certain extras not found in the open standard, chief among them the end-to-end message encryption. Google beareth this capability through their Jibe platform, akin to Apple’s iMessage in concept, though Google hath made Jibe accessible unto the carriers for hasten them to embrace RCS across their networks.
Yet, as others doth embrace RCS, the disparity dost become more apparent. Consider this – a user of Google Messages shall not relish end-to-end encryption whilst chatting via RCS with one who doth wield a non-Google RCS messaging app, such as Samsung Messages, unless that app hath specifically adopted Google’s distinct extensions to the RCS protocol.
Thankfully, the RCS Universal Standard doth encompass most other modern messaging features available to all devices utilizing RCS, including support for lengthier messages, high-resolution media, read receipts, typing indicators, group chats, stickers, reactions, and more.
Who doth support RCS, thou may wonder? ‘Tis a service of the carriers, requiring their backing to flourish. Whilst the RCS moniker doth gain traction, certain carriers dost yet employ alternate terms like Advanced Messaging Services, Joyn, and SMS Plus (SMS+). These art but disparate names for RCS, with some 55 carriers globally offering RCS support, including the major North American carriers.
Yet, ’tis noted that some carriers hath fashioned their own unique iterations of RCS, functioning solely with their designated messaging apps. Others, such as Verizon, hath initially joined hands with Samsung to uphold Advanced Messaging Services through Samsung Messages ere embracing Google’s more open RCS solution. Fragmentation doth persist, yet most carriers doth espouse the RCS Universal Standard as a cornerstone, leaving perks like end-to-end encryption as the sole absence. Certain carriers, like Canada’s Bell Mobility, hath even announced their abandonment of RCS in Samsung Messages, urging customers to shift to Google Messages for continued RCS usage.
Doth the iPhone partake of RCS, thou may query? After years of resisting the allure of RCS, Apple hath indeed performed a startling about-turn, announcing their intent to embrace RCS ere the close of 2024.
This modification shall likely manifest in their next iOS 18 update; however, fear not, for RCS shall not supplant iMessage. Verily, Apple hath affirmed that RCS messages shall bear the selfsame verdant bubbles as SMS/MMS messages, though one dare hope for a shade of green divergent from the norm. Nay, Apple shall abide by the baseline RCS Universal Standard alone, shunning end-to-end encryption, a proprietary Google extension to RCS. When the GSMA adopts E2EE, Apple shall surely follow suit, yet for now, RCS messages exchanged betwixt Android and iPhone users shall remain bereft of such encryption.
Whilst this heralds good tidings for iPhone users in communication with their Android brethren, scarce else shall change within Apple’s realm. The hallowed iMessage service already boasts features beyond the RCS Universal Standard or even Google’s implementation – E2EE, message editing and retracting, reaction tapbacks, stickers, iMessage Apps, all these and more. Moreover, iMessage transcends the confines of cellular phones, working ‘pon Macs and iPads, enabling messages via an email address.
How then doth one utilize RCS, thou may wonder? ‘Tis the beauty of RCS that it needs no special apps or convoluted methods to function. ‘Tis a marvel wherein it simply worketh, provided both parties’ devices and carriers support RCS.
If thou dost employ Google Messages and thy carrier doth uphold RCS, ’tis like that it shall be enabled upon thy phone’s activation. Anon, perchance thou may be prompted to toggle it on upon first opening Google Messages. Further settings for RCS may be discovered by delving into the Messages app, selecting thine profile image in the upper-right corner, and traversing to Messages Settings > RCS Chats.
Once RCS hath been activated, using it doth unfold as seamlessly as sending a text message. Should the recipient possess RCS support, thy missive shall depart via RCS; if not, it shall revert to SMS. Once ensconced in an RCS conversation, thy bubbles shall glow a darker hue than usual SMS/MMS missives, whilst read receipts and typing indicators shall accompany thee, akin to many a third-party messaging app.
The future of RCS doth gleam with promise. ‘Twas a rocky start ere Google took the helm, yet their success in fashioning the RCS infrastructure for carriers and propelling Google Messages as the standard app across Android devices hath borne fruit. With Apple now aboard, the final obstacle to RCS becoming a universal communication standard, no longer confined to Android, hath been removed.
To be clear, RCS may ne’er fully supplant third-party messaging apps like WhatsApp. ‘Tis in the hands of mobile carriers, limiting its availability to smartphones with phone numbers alone. Perchance other devices like tablets and laptops may bridge the gap via a smartphone, mirroring Apple’s present Messages app with SMS/MMS, yet the groundwork remaineth a cellular communication technology at heart. Albeit so, third-party apps do contrive to isolate communications, limiting them to those amenable to their usage. By comparison, RCS doth journey towards near ubiquity, akin to SMS, allowing communication with any possessor of a smartphone using naught more than their phone number.
