Goodbye SMS? Google Makes Big Push for 'Chat' Standard

Google is making a big push for unified messaging on Android, an effort now known simply as "Conversation."

Chat, or Rich Communication Services (RCS), seeks to do abroad with SMS and replace it with RCS, which allows for features SMS cannot currently handle, like lengthy messages, group conversation, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators.

RCS has been in the works for several years, simply in a lengthy exclusive, The Verge reports that Google has had some success getting more carriers and telephone makers to adopt RCS. In 2022, T-Mobile and Sprint were on lath, but AT&T and Verizon only signed on "in the by few months," The Verge says.

RCS at present has 55 global carriers, 11 phone makers, and two operating arrangement makers signed upwards, according to the GSMA, a mobile trade group handling RCS specifications. That second Bone maker? Microsoft, which could pave the way for an RCS chat app on Windows ten, The Verge speculates.

Until then, Conversation "volition automatically exist turned on inside Android Messages, the Os'southward default app for texting," The Verge says. Samsung is as well reportedly planning to support Chat inside its own messaging app. Once your phone maker or carrier adopts RCS, your Android messaging should automatically get an upgrade, allowing for chat features you might currently find in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Google's Allo.

If you're a fan of Allo, though, information technology might non be long for this world. Google is halting piece of work on it to focus on Conversation and put "all its resources into … Android Messages," which volition be getting new features like GIF search and Google Banana integration in the future.

The company is too reportedly prepping a "desktop web interface for texting" described as "an extension of your telephone."

Chat messages are sent over your cellular data plan, not your SMS plan. If the person you're texting doesn't take Chat on their handset, the message will "revert back to SMS." For now, that includes anyone with an iPhone, since Apple has yet to embrace RCS.

The Verge suggests it volition exist hard for Apple not to prefer RCS eventually, only Cupertino hasn't made any announcements. I reason information technology might not? Chat will not be end-to-end encrypted, like iMessage, and so Android users worried nearly someone snooping on their messages will desire to stick to secure apps like Signal.

When will you go information technology? Much similar Android Bone updates, that depends on your carrier.

"The new Chat services will exist turned on for most people in the near future, though timing volition be dictated past each carrier," The Verge notes. "Google is optimistic many carriers will flip the switch this twelvemonth, but there could be some stragglers." Considering its lack of terminate-to-end encryption, at that place's a skilful chance Apple volition not support it.

About Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo is PCMag'south expert on fitness and smart dwelling house products. Education yoga for virtually 10 years has helped her in evaluating a range of connected health products including fettle trackers, heart rate monitors, rowers, smart scales, stationary bikes, strength training machines, treadmills, and more. Angela also tests smart home devices from her ranch in Florida, including air purifiers, kitchen appliances, and robot vacuums, but to name a few.