For a number of years Google has been very vocal about Apple supporting RCS in its iMessage platform. Now that it is occurred, it looks as if Google received what it was asking for. Spoiler: it did not, however it did cease the barrage of messaging about why it was wanted.
Two crucial issues come into play right here. First, RCS on the iPhone just isn’t end-to-end encrypted as a result of that kind of encryption just isn’t a part of the RCS requirements. Second, Google chose to add the encryption layer itself, however Apple didn’t, nor did it select to work with Google to allow it.
Oh, there may be yet another vital factor: Apple did not add RCS help to appease Google or as a present of excellent religion for its prospects. It was extra doubtless as a result of China demanded it occur.
I do know loads of individuals merely do not care about RCS in any respect. You might use WhatsApp or by no means textual content with somebody on a unique smartphone platform, so it makes no distinction to you that Apple helps it. That is nice, however it impacts numerous different individuals, which is why a lot digital ink has been used to speak about it.
If you happen to’re unsure about what RCS is, consider it as WhatsApp-style textual content messaging. You’ll be able to ship larger decision pictures and movies, see when the opposite particular person has learn your message or when they’re typing, and embrace media like stickers with out changing it to an older type MMS message.
If you happen to had been texting between two iPhones or two Android phones, it is what you are used to. If one particular person has an Android telephone and the opposite has an iPhone, none of this might occur, and also you in all probability seen that, too. Now it might, due to iOS 18’s help for RCS in iMessage.
One of many huge causes so many individuals are speaking about it’s because Google made a big deal about Apple not supporting it. In addition to the richer person expertise, RCS (the best way Google does it) helps end-to-end encryption, ensuring solely you possibly can learn a message meant for you. Google stated Apple was making messaging unsafe as a result of it could not help this characteristic.
With the RCS announcement from Apple, Google stopped telling us all why Apple was “unhealthy” for not supporting it. Nevertheless, Apple’s present implementation of RCS doesn’t help end-to-end encryption. A message between an Android telephone and an iPhone is encrypted whereas it is flying throughout the web (like virtually all different web visitors) however it is not as safe as Google claimed it should be.
Encryption of this type is not a part of RCS. It is likely to be added in the future, however even then, Apple will not help it with out updating its implementation. The one cause it is supported on Android is that Google added it to the standards-based RCS profile itself.
Apple may have accomplished the identical, or it may have labored with Google so as to add it to iMessage, however it did not. There is no such thing as a incentive so as to add it and even much less to work with Google as a result of proprietary messaging is a vital characteristic that’s used to lock customers right into a platform by each Apple and Google.
In truth, Apple did not add RCS help due to Google’s efforts. As an organization, it could be higher when you had grandma buy an iPhone versus supporting one thing it does not assume provides worth to iOS. I am not going to purchase into the conspiracy idea that Apple purposefully selected to help an outdated model of RCS to thwart Google, however I do assume Apple merely did not care what Google needed to say.
Apple added RCS help as a result of 20% of its gross sales are in China, and China will quickly require all phones with 5G capability to support the RCS standard if they’re to realize regulatory approval. Apple can’t afford to lose 20% of its market and can all the time do what China calls for.
This leaves me with one query: why has Google stopped demanding safe cross-platform messaging from Apple? It isn’t right here, and Apple has made no effort to supply it.
I am not saying Apple ought to have or that it’s best to fear about it. There are many end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms on the market if that is one thing you care about. Most individuals already use one in all them, particularly outdoors of North America.
Google and Apple will all the time discover methods to dig at one another and attempt to persuade you that it’s the greatest. Possibly one is healthier than the opposite, and possibly at some point, one thing even higher will come alongside. Within the meantime, do not fall into the entice of believing the whole lot one in all them has to say.
