And when exactly is Google planning to open it up so that other applications can use it such as Fossify SMS?
From what I understand RCS isn't controlled by Google, Google merely operates a RCS instance in a federated ecosystem.
RCS the oficial standard is open yes. But Goggle's implementation has added proprietary bits and changes that aren't in the spec. Even if they opened their servers nobody could use them anyway.
But Goggle’s implementation has added proprietary bits and changes that aren’t in the spec.
They added encryption based on Signal, so hardly proprietary. Encryption apparently is being incorporated into an upcoming revision of the RCS spec, no word on the algorithm to be used, though.
That is correct. However, Google does control Android and has not added the ability for other applications to interact with RCS, other than Google Messages and the Samsung messenger.
Google does control Android and has not added the ability for other applications to interact with Google's RCS instance ~~RCS~~, other than Google Messages and the Samsung messenger, whereas all those joyn branded messengers that exist since a decade need to access their own servers.
FIFY according to the best of my knowledge.
Ah, okay then. As long as anybody can set up an RCS instance, then and communicate with the people on the Google servers, then that's fine. But if for example, fossify cant setup an RCS instance there would be no need for fossify sms messenger to exist.
I think the holdup is that previously SMS was paid for through your carrier, so Google can let any app use it and no one loses money. Now the main RCS instance is hosted by Google, and I guess Google doesn't want other apps freeloading on their servers since you're not paying for RCS directly like you are paying your carrier. It really sucks and I hope it gets resolved soon, especially with Apple joining in. We also need a good open source RCS server and client.
Heh, I'm gonna assume that will be when they have the billion$ Google require for the "service."
Well in that case it cannot replace SMS entirely until it's completely opened up so that absolutely anybody can use it. Either that or the more terrible alternative is that they are going to not open it up so that other apps can use it and literally kill every other SMS messenger in existence. Except for Google Messages and whatever Samsung uses
I'd rather they didn't open it... It's crap anyway, and I refuse to use it for those people who won't move away from SMS.
If they successfully kill SMS though enough people will stop using SMS that there's a very high chance the carriers won't support it any longer either. And that means you would not be able to send or receive text messages on an Android phone without Google messages.
I can send and receive messages a thousand ways to Sunday. SMS is just one way.
Also, SMS isn't dying in the US anytime soon. First, it's just using an extant component in the cell management frames. These are always being transmitted anyway. Second, there's a massive infrastructure in place which these companies are amortizing, fourth, the data gathering they get from it.
Then there's organizations that use SMS for sending notifications, reminders, etc - you expect them to spend money to switch from a current working system to something else?
Then there's end-users who are used to it, and are using different SMS apps - you're going to tell them to use RCS they have to give up features in the apps they've paid for. Nevermind people resist change like there's no tomorrow.
Plus RCS is terribly problematic. It fails as often, or even more often, than SMS. Just go search for RCS issues...for a protocol that supposed to replace SMS, it's garbage.
And it's still tied to a phone. Why would I want yet another messenger that's tied to my phone and all the headache that entails?
I've been using XMPP apps between my phone and computers for close to 15 years now, pretty seamlessly. And there are plenty of other cross-platform messengers that aren't dependent on a phone. What value does RCS bring compared to that?
Autumn's already here. Marking stuff by seasons is disgustingly self-centred for an international company.
Corporations really love to ignore the southern hemisphere.
I'll believe it when I hear it from Apple
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