You definitely shouldn’t invest time in SMS. Without RCS (or some custom messaging protocol support), “texting apps” are pretty much a dead market.
RCS is both more secure and more user friendly than SMS can be by design. Once the iPhone gets RCS support in the coming months/years, this will be especially true.
You’re right, I’ve updated my reply… Hopefully someday that will be a generic RCS feature not exclusive to Google and/or Apple and Google will work to make the E2EE work between their two systems.
Apple said something along the lines of wanting to develop an encryption standard with the GSM Alliance. Which basically means the Alliance would represent two major companies instead of one. I’m not exactly holding my breath for what Apple’s standards will be, as iMessage is unsurprisingly not as good with encryption as Google Messenger (which uses Signal’s protocol at least).
Plenty of services still unfortunately rely on SMS for 2FA, so we’ll still need a client to receive them. Doesn’t really need to be able to send them though, I don’t think any human has sent an SMS message deliberately for about 12 years!
Group chats work over SMS. I use cloud links for large files or just SMS/MMS for pictures and you just live with the low quality if texting with an iPhone user.
More seriously, in these cases, I often rely on emails instead. But I don’t really use group chats a lot (even with my contacts that are on Signal), nor send many files, so it’s not features I really miss. And SMS works with everyone, so it’s always my default if the contact isn’t on Signal.
I don’t know anyone in Canada that isn’t a new Canadian that uses anything other than the default sms app on their phone. (FBM and Insta and what not don’t count in my example).
If you message cross-platform from Android to iOS, and you can’t get everyone to agree upon a 3rd party app, then you’re kind of stuck with sms. This isn’t a problem that is going away in the near future. Apple relies on their locked messaging platform to influence their users into thinking iOS is the best. The users then pressure all of their friends to get iPhones too. It’s an effective strategy for them. Very few iPhone users seem to understand the games being played.
In fairness, even the author of the article you linked didn’t think that’d ever happen. I’m somewhat up to date on most general tech things and missed this announcement too (though to be honest I don’t follow Apple announcements anyway).
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You definitely shouldn’t invest time in SMS. Without RCS (or some custom messaging protocol support), “texting apps” are pretty much a dead market.
RCS is
both more secure andmore user friendly than SMS can be by design. Once the iPhone gets RCS support in the coming months/years, this will be especially true.Quick question, is RCS mostly a protocol used in the US or something? Cos never heard of the term here in Europe. Maybe I just live under a rock tho.
I am on Vodafone and I have it as well. I heard it’s only available on the Google Messages app and on Samsung’s app.
If you have a Samsung or use the Google SMS messaging app then you can use RCS via their servers, even in Europe
There is no open source RCS messaging app afaik
I’m not sure how it’s more secure. End to end encryption is only available if the sender is using Google Messages, the receiver is using Google Messages, and IIRC if the transit server is Google Jibe. No Google, no encryption for you.
Samsung messages has Google’s RCS implementation and E2EE, too.
deleted
You’re right, I’ve updated my reply… Hopefully someday that will be a generic RCS feature not exclusive to Google and/or Apple and Google will work to make the E2EE work between their two systems.
Apple said something along the lines of wanting to develop an encryption standard with the GSM Alliance. Which basically means the Alliance would represent two major companies instead of one. I’m not exactly holding my breath for what Apple’s standards will be, as iMessage is unsurprisingly not as good with encryption as Google Messenger (which uses Signal’s protocol at least).
If the MLS group messaging encryption protocol can get finalized any day soon then they might use that
Plenty of services still unfortunately rely on SMS for 2FA, so we’ll still need a client to receive them. Doesn’t really need to be able to send them though, I don’t think any human has sent an SMS message deliberately for about 12 years!
@smeg Me and my friends use it as a fallback for mildly urgent stuff. If anything is more urgent, then we call each other.
@Dark_Arc
SMS is my primary mode of contact with the rest if the world. I use Signal as well, but most people I know only use SMS.
So how do you have group chats or send files with your non-Signal contacts?
Group chats work over SMS. I use cloud links for large files or just SMS/MMS for pictures and you just live with the low quality if texting with an iPhone user.
SMS doesn’t have group chats does it? Unless your client is just sending the same message to everyone and grouping together the responses?
It has never occurred to me to do either of those things, and apparently hasn’t to anyone I’m in contact with either.
Though I don’t use group chats or send files in Signal either, so there’s that.
You don’t x)
More seriously, in these cases, I often rely on emails instead. But I don’t really use group chats a lot (even with my contacts that are on Signal), nor send many files, so it’s not features I really miss. And SMS works with everyone, so it’s always my default if the contact isn’t on Signal.
Blimey, you and I have wildly different use cases, I don’t think I’ve sent an email to someone who wasn’t a business for decades!
sweats nervously in American
I don’t know anyone in Canada that isn’t a new Canadian that uses anything other than the default sms app on their phone. (FBM and Insta and what not don’t count in my example).
SMS is alive and well in Canada.
My condolences. But seriously though, what if you want to have a group chat, or send a file?
Plenty of group chats that mix iMessage and sms, just through iMessage, or just sms group chats.
Most new Canadians I interact with have WhatsApp, however, as I understand that’s quite popular abroad.
If you message cross-platform from Android to iOS, and you can’t get everyone to agree upon a 3rd party app, then you’re kind of stuck with sms. This isn’t a problem that is going away in the near future. Apple relies on their locked messaging platform to influence their users into thinking iOS is the best. The users then pressure all of their friends to get iPhones too. It’s an effective strategy for them. Very few iPhone users seem to understand the games being played.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-iphone-getting-rcs-2024-imessage-news/
Maybe try searching what I said first…?
In fairness, even the author of the article you linked didn’t think that’d ever happen. I’m somewhat up to date on most general tech things and missed this announcement too (though to be honest I don’t follow Apple announcements anyway).