Apple plans to add support for the RCS standard on iOS next year, the iPhone maker said on Thursday, a major shift that would address widespread text messaging compatibility issues between iPhones and Android devices that are affecting the world. Millions of people fear what is commonly known as the “green bubble.”
For years, critics have argued that Apple’s long-standing reluctance to support RCS led to the fragmentation of the messaging ecosystem, particularly affecting Android users. Apple’s stance is often seen as maintaining ecosystem exclusivity, which has sparked debate in the tech world over interoperability and user convenience.
Well, no more. sudden announcement Today, Apple also said it believes “RCS universal profiles will provide a better interoperability experience compared to SMS or MMS.” The company plans to roll out support next year, adding: “This will work with iMessage, which will Continue to provide the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”
The major reversal comes after repeated requests from Google — and public pressure Top — Apple will add support for RCS to iPhone. “People see the ‘green bubble’ as an Android problem,” Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president at Google, Tweet Last year, it referred to a visual difference Android users saw when sending messages to iPhone, with messages appearing as green bubbles. “Hundreds of millions of people around the world are already using RCS – encrypted, uncompressed images and everything. If you’re an iPhone user, hopefully you’ll get these features soon too.”
Apple has also made no secret of its feelings about RCS. In response to a question about Apple’s plans to adopt RCS, Apple CEO Tim Cook told one person: “Buy an iPhone”.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a collective effort by many industry players to enhance traditional SMS with modern features such as richer text and end-to-end encryption. Google, Samsung and many other companies, including telecom operators, have provided support for RCS to more than 800 million users worldwide in recent years.
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