Google Completes US Rollout of Next-Generation RCS Texting
Google confirms that RCS messaging is now available to all Android users in the US. The feature brings iMessage-like capabilities to Android Messages but currently lacks end-to-end encryption.
Google officially completes the rollout of RCS messaging to all Android users in the United States. Product manager Sanaz Ahari confirms that the deployment finishes on December 9th, beating the company's end-of-2019 deadline. Users simply need to update both Android Messages and Carrier Services to access the new technology.
The new standard acts as a direct competitor to Apple's iMessage by bringing WiFi chatting, high-quality media sharing, typing indicators, read receipts, and improved group chat features. However, the system does not include end-to-end encryption, meaning conversations remain just as vulnerable as traditional SMS texts.
Despite this successful American launch, RCS still faces significant hurdles on the path to becoming a truly universal standard. The technology is currently limited to just a handful of countries outside the US, and Apple shows no interest in adopting the cross-platform protocol. Google continues to work on expanding support to additional regions and third-party applications.