Top three U.S. carriers and Google embrace rich communications services, but no sign of interest in Apple

Over the past few years, Google has launched a new communication protocol called Rich Communication Services, or RCS. RCS is designed to replace SMS, the current text messaging standard, and offers support for higher resolution photos and videos, audio messages, larger file sizes, better encryption, improved group chat, etc.

Verizon today announced plans to adopt Messages by Google as the default messaging service on Android devices, joining AT&T and T-Mobile. This means that the three major carriers in the United States will support the RCS standard on Android devices from 2022.

As The edge points out, this leaves Apple as the big refractory to RCS, and there are some benefits that iPhone users won’t enjoy.

When RCS sees a full Android rollout, text messages on Android phones will be end-to-end encrypted. ‌IPhone‌ to ‌iPhone‌ communications are end-to-end encrypted using iMessage, but with this change, texts between Android users and ‌iPhone‌ users will be less secure due to Apple’s decision to continue using SMS over RCS.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president of Android, said The edge that Android messaging security against contreiPhone‌ will become an important discussion with the wider adoption of RCS. “The fallback messaging experience on the other platform will not have encryption if it is still SMS,” he said. “I think it’s a pretty interesting dynamic and I hope that, as everyone focuses on security and privacy, it becomes an important part of the discussion.”

Lockheimer did not say whether Google is discussing RCS with Apple, but Apple has been urged to adopt the RCS standard. Apple declined to comment on the RCS and there is no indication that Apple plans to adopt it in the near future.

Now that all three major carriers in the United States support RCS, Apple might be more inclined to consider technology to make cross-platform messaging more secure.