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RCS has been around for a while now, and Google is trying to transform it into SMS 2.0. Apple is not exactly cooperating, but that’s a whole different story. In any case, the company has announced that RCS is not only enabled by default in Google Messages now, but also more secure.
RCS is now enabled by default in the Google Messages app
As many of you know, every time you get a new phone, you have to go into the Google Messages app (if it comes pre-installed), and turn on RCS. If you don’t flip a switch, you’re stuck with SMS only.
That step is completely unnecessary, and we wondered why it’s not enabled by default. Well, Google just corrected that “mistake”. It will be enabled by default for both new and existing users, by the way. We’re just not sure if this is a server-side change, or will an app update be required.
If you still have people who sent you SMS messages, and haven’t flipped the switch on RCS yet, you’ll certainly appreciate this. Do note that you can still turn off RCS in the app’s settings, if that’s what you like.
RCS messages via Google Messages are now fully end-to-end encrypted
Now, that’s not all. Google also announced that RCS messages via Google Messages are now fully end-to-end encrypted. Google added end-to-end encryption to group chats too, thus completing the circle.
Google Messages app keeps getting new features, and is becoming more and more useful. Not long ago, Google added indicators for RCS chats on your messages list. You can easily see which conversations are RCS convos, and which are regular SMS ones.
As a reminder, RCS conversations are conducted via the Internet, so you don’t really get charged for sending SMS messages. It’s quite convenient, though it won’t really become SMS 2.0 unless Apple adopts it. That doesn’t look likely, at least not at the moment.