RCS: Google Updates Android SMS Features – Adding Emojis Reactions To The Group Chats

The Short Message Service, or SMS, has been around for 30 years now. To mark the occasion, Google announced that, in the coming weeks, its Messages app would feature end-to-end encryption for group conversations along with RCS. For private talks, this option has been around for some time.

End-to-end encryption is a great feature for group chats, but it is currently only available to beta testers. Thus, participation in the beta test program is required for access.

To learn more about the beta version of Google Message, click on the link.

Google is working on adding emoji expressions for RCS (Rich Communication Services) in its Messages app, in addition to end-to-end encryption in group conversations.

Google also made fun of Apple’s reluctance to adopt RCS on the occasion of SMS’s 30th anniversary. All major telcos and companies have adopted RCS, it added, with the exception of Apple. The fact that Apple is still communicating with Android users via SMS indicates that the company is stuck in the 1990s when it comes to texting technology.

The search engine giant in Mountain View, California, has been pushing for Apple to adopt RCS with its #GetTheMessage campaign for a while now. In spite of this, the Cupertino-based tech behemoth has been quite consistent and uncompromising on its position, with CEO Tim Cook claiming that he would rather convert Android fans to iPhones.

This “green vs. blue bubble” situation has yet to play out. It remains to be seen how quickly Apple will cave and adopt RCS.

End-to-end encryption in Google Messages is currently in beta. However, It will take some time before it becomes generally available to users. It’s likely that emoji responses to RCS will debut at the same time.

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