Apple may very well be making a giant step towards enhancing texting between iPhone and Android units by adopting the Rich Communication Services customary in 2024.
According to 9to5Mac on Thursday, an Apple spokesperson stated in an announcement that RCS — a extra feature-rich texting customary that is out there on Android telephones — might be coming to the iPhone and can work alongside iMessage. Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark from CNET.
“Later subsequent yr, we might be including help for RCS Universal Profile, the usual as at the moment revealed by the GSM Association,” an Apple spokesperson stated in an announcement to 9to5Mac. “We imagine RCS Universal Profile will provide a greater interoperability expertise when in comparison with SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which can proceed to be the very best and most safe messaging expertise for Apple customers.”
An precise time-frame wasn’t given. The transfer could result in an enormous enchancment in how texts are despatched between Apple iPhones and different telephones, as RCS has the aptitude to help typing indicators, high-quality media sharing and in-line reactions. Currently, RCS handles these options for texts between Android telephones which are utilizing the Google Messages app, which is the default texting app on most Android telephones.
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“Everyone deserves to speak with one another in methods which are trendy and safe, it doesn’t matter what telephone they’ve,” a Google spokesperson stated in an announcement. “That’s why we now have labored carefully with the cell trade to speed up the adoption of RCS, and we’re comfortable to see Apple take their first step at this time by approaching board to embrace RCS.
“We welcome Apple’s participation in our ongoing work with GSMA to evolve RCS and make messaging extra equitable and safe, and sit up for working with them to implement this on iOS in a manner that works effectively for everybody.”
Should this certainly happen, it does not essentially imply that each one of Apple’s greatest iMessage options would all of a sudden be out there to Android customers. Both Apple and Google have included their very own unique options of their texting apps, comparable to Apple’s Check In characteristic for location sharing and Google’s Magic Compose characteristic that makes use of synthetic intelligence to draft texts. It additionally won’t imply the dying of the inexperienced bubble versus blue bubble state of affairs.
Update, 2:18 p.m. PT: Adds remark from the Google spokesperson.
