Google has announced its plans to take the texting experience on Android-powered devices to a new level through Rich Communications Services (RCS). The new development will replace the existing SMS service on Android with an advanced solution called Android Messages.
RCS is a communication protocol powered by Google’s Jibe cloud platform. It is considered to be an upgrade to SMS and deliver a universal solution to send and receive text messages on mobile devices.
Google has planned to upgrade the default SMS experience on Android by bringing its RCS messaging. This messaging service is formally called Android Messages that will include stickers, emoticons and multimedia services alongside the simple text support.
“We believe it is important to innovate in messaging standards, so we have been working with the mobile industry on an initiative to upgrade SMS through a universal standard called RCS, bringing more enhanced features to the standard messaging experience on mobile devices,” said Amir Sarhangi, head of RCS, in a blog post.
The new experience of RCS messaging is appeared to be quite similar to the proprietary iMessage on iOS. Google needs to partner with wireless carriers to enable RCS messaging across a large number of Android devices.
Initially, Google is in talks with Sprint in the US, Telenor in Europe and Asia, Rogers in Canada, Globe in the Philippines and some multinational carriers like Orange and Deutsche Telekom. A development with Vodafone is also in the pipeline to integrate the Vodafone Group RCS service into the new Android Messages. Vodafone’s model is already launched in 10 markets for its subscribers globally.
Commericialise focus
Alongside supporting mass consumers, Google is planning to increase the influence of Android by helping brands to push RCS messages. You can expect advertisements, announcements, logistic updates and customer service messages to have rich RCS content.
So all in all, with the new RCS push, Google will open doors for communication between all Android users. Android Messages will become the default messaging app on official Android manufacturers in the coming future.
