Google has launched a free analogue of SMS for Android

Recently, references to RCS are more and more often found on the Web. They say that this is a free analogue of the usual SMS messages, but no one really explains how this became possible and, most importantly, why no one has done this before. In fact, everything is simple. In order to spread the RCS standard, it is necessary to ensure the coordinated work of telecom operators, which is practically impossible. However, this is not a reason to abandon such a promising project, Google decided and independently launched RCS bypassing telecom operators.

What are RCS messages and what can they do?

Fundamentally, RCS is an analogue of instant messengers, not SMS, because it does not have a limit on the number of characters in a message, it allows you to monitor in real time that the person you are typing is sending a message, and also transfer high-quality media files. With SMS, they are related by binding messages to a phone number and lack of encryption, which is why many smartphone manufacturers refuse to implement them as the default standard. Still, today end-to-end encryption of correspondence is something so natural that you don’t even think about.


However, having failed to enlist the help of operators, Google decided that it would try to provide RCS independently, using its own servers and the proprietary Messaging application, which is preinstalled on many smartphones. However, while the new standard is distributed only in the USA, and therefore users from other countries will not be able to use it. However, if the project is successful, which cannot be ruled out, given its conditional universality, it is likely that subsequently RCS will be launched outside the United States.

How RCS differs from SMS

However, in the literal sense, RCS cannot be called a substitute for SMS for several reasons:

• Messages sent via RCS are incompatible with SMS, which means that users will have to choose which protocol to send messages to;
• To send RCS messages, you have to install the proprietary application "Message" from Google. In any case, the standard utilities of many smartphones with RCS do not work;
• The Messages application, which Google uses to send RCS messages, cannot automatically select the desired protocol, depending on which one the recipient device supports;
• To send messages according to the RCS standard, Internet access is required. Otherwise, sending a message with media attachments will not be trite.

In my opinion, RCS is a rather controversial standard. On the one hand, Google wants it to replace SMS messages, but on the other, it is too different from them. Most often, SMS messages are sent to those who do not use instant messengers. As a rule, these are elderly people. Well, if the recipient is not familiar with the messengers, most likely he has a push-button telephone that is incompatible with RCS. So, send him a free message will not succeed. Well, if a person uses instant messengers, then what is the reason to send a message via RCS, knowing in advance that what is written can be decrypted by anyone, instead of using WhatsApp or Telegram? In a word, nonsense.