Google has been quietly corralling every major cell phone carrier(including Jio, Airtel & Vodafone) on the planet into adopting technology to replace SMS. Google is rolling out a new chat service named as ‘Google Chat’ to replace standard texting. it’s going to b based on a standard called the “Universal Profile for Rich Communication Services(RCS introduced in 2007).
Although Google has been working for a long time. Google started Hangouts by closing the Google Talk app in 2013 and then Allo, Now Google has stopped working on Allo. According to Tech Analyst, this feature is already presented in rival chat services such as Apple’s iMessage and Facebook’s WhatsApp.
What is RCS
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a set of communication standards for SMS, MMS and calling that will make text messages look and feel more like Apple’s iMessage or Facebook Messenger.It is communication protocol between mobile-telephone carriers and between phone and carrier, aiming at replacing SMS messages with a text-message system that is richer.
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Features
Android Chat service will offer several upgrades for Android users whose messaging relies on SMS till now. Using a new protocol called Rich Communications Services, or RCS, Chat will enable users to send high-resolution photos, videos, and GIFs, receive read receipts and see when the person they are texting is typing a reply. Google will also enable Google assistant through Chat.
The GSMA gauges that 350 million individuals will use RCS before the year’s over & numbers will be double in 2019. GSMA estimates that 3 billion people could potentially upgrade to RCS despite many inexpensive phones won’t be able to use the new messaging standard.
Experts Concern
Other experts noted the privacy drawbacks of Google Chat service, that will not have be end-to-end encrypted. A veteran Technology writer Walt Mossberg tweeted Friday, “Google builds an insecure messaging system controlled by carriers who are in bed with governments everywhere at exactly the time when Users are more worried about data collection, data privacy, and theft than ever,”
Both Apple’s iMessage & Facebook’s Whatsapp uses End-to-End encryption to provide privacy to user’s data. End-to-End Encryption means only Sender & recipient can see the data of Message.
Android Chat is designed to works across different carrier services, Message sent over the internet but same as Apple’s iMessage, if an Android user sends a Chat message to a person whose phone is not Chat-compatible, the message will be sent using SMS with the standard carrier’s applicable charges.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment as to whether it will support RCS for iPhone users.
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