The nice thing about SMS is its on everyone’s phone by default.
No apps to download and no accounts to make.
Adding someone is a simple 9 digit number.
imessage bridged the gap between bacsic SMS and feature-rich messages. With them both being in one app and handled automatically, it is very convenient to use. While the extra features are limited to apple phones, you can use imessage to universally message any other phone.
Google made a their own thing, RCS, to compete with imessage. They made it an open standard and worked with carriers to make it so any phone could use it. it took Apple 7 years since release to add support.
Finally, you can text pretty much anyone with a smart phone a message with the “extra features” without hassle.
Google did not make RCS; RCS is made by GSM consortium as succession of SMS, Google extended it to add some extra features such as end to end encryption (but only when messages are routed through their servers).
China mandated 5G sold in China must support RCS, hence why Apple added support for this. Since Google is basically banned in China, you can pretty much bet RCS going into/out of China is going to be unencrypted.
So you’re basically stuck between getting inferior unencrypted messages, or routing everything through Google.
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The nice thing about SMS is its on everyone’s phone by default.
No apps to download and no accounts to make. Adding someone is a simple 9 digit number.
imessage bridged the gap between bacsic SMS and feature-rich messages. With them both being in one app and handled automatically, it is very convenient to use. While the extra features are limited to apple phones, you can use imessage to universally message any other phone.
Google made a their own thing, RCS, to compete with imessage. They made it an open standard and worked with carriers to make it so any phone could use it. it took Apple 7 years since release to add support.
Finally, you can text pretty much anyone with a smart phone a message with the “extra features” without hassle.
Google did not make RCS; RCS is made by GSM consortium as succession of SMS, Google extended it to add some extra features such as end to end encryption (but only when messages are routed through their servers).
China mandated 5G sold in China must support RCS, hence why Apple added support for this. Since Google is basically banned in China, you can pretty much bet RCS going into/out of China is going to be unencrypted.
So you’re basically stuck between getting inferior unencrypted messages, or routing everything through Google.
Avoid RCS like the plague.