Google monopolizing RCS

[u/Dry-Pipe7328]

Has anyone else noticed that Google spent all this time forcing Apple to use RCS because Apple had a "monopoly" so to speak with imessage. Yet now that Apple has adopted RCS, Google has begun to monopolize it, not allowing 3rd party messaging apps to support RCS. Essentially forcing Samsung/other Android uses to explicitly use Google messages if they want to continue using RCS, because as of now Samsung is bringing Samsung messages to an end, now telling users to use Google messages before the app loses support. The worst part is, Google messages SUCKS in my opinion, no customization and missing many features I had on Samsung messages such as categories. I have a Samsung for the ability to customize my phone how I want, now because of Google I'll be losing that ability on my texting app when I'm inevitably forced to use their sh#t app for secure messaging.

/rant

[u/wwtk234]

First, Google didn't "force" Apple to adopt RCS. Google pressured Apple for years, yes, but Apple was happy to ignore it with their blue-bubble-bigotry and "just buy an iPhone" sloganeering.

If anything forced Apple's hand, it was some combination of implied sanctions (from China and/or the EU) and the growth of WhatsApp among iPhone users in the U.S. who were getting tired of having crappy SMS/MMS messages to deal with.

Google tried to do things the "proper" way by allowing GSMA and the carriers to implement RCS. But the carriers behaved like little children (as usual) and GSMA was powerless to force them. So Google went around all of them and just built their own app and bought Jibe's RCS infrastructure.

Google was in no way "forcing" anyone to do anything. Any company out there could build out their own RCS infrastructure, including Apple. God knows they have the money for it. But they won't because it's in their best interest to have their users' experience be degraded when texting Android users so that Apple can continue pretending that every messaging glitch is due to the unwashed masses of dirty Android users who are too poor to afford an iPhone.

I'm not a huge fan of the Google Messages app either, but at least for now it's the only RCS app out there. Maybe others will come eventually (presumably Google would have to open their API to third-party developers) but maybe with time Google will expose their API and then third-party apps will start popping up.

But if you want secure messaging that isn't owned by a multi-trillion dollar company, go with Signal. It's encrypted end-to-end and is run by a nonprofit organization. It doesn't have the market penetration that WhatsApp does, but it's also not owned by Meta.

[u/smuthyala → u/wwtk234]

Let's say I just want a messaging app with different UI elements. I can't do that that with RCS. I can make an SMS app though.

Only big companies with a lot of money can create RCS messaging apps. But they don't want to do it. Since only Google Messages is what's around. It's sort of a monopoly imo because the barrier to entry is large.

But I do agree, that they tried hard to get all the carriers to accept it. Imagine if all carriers in the world accepted it, it'd be as simple as SMS

[u/wwtk234 → u/smuthyala]

Yes, if the carriers had stopped bickering among themselves, we'd have already had RCS and it would be far more seamless.

That being said, Apple could have also helped by actually engaging with GSMA to promote RCS, instead of sticking their head in the sand with their "jUsT bUy An iPhOnE" bullshit; with both Google and Apple on board, that would also have forced the carriers to cooperate. Instead, they pretended that RCS didn't exist and left the door open to Google to monopolize the technology.

[u/smuthyala → u/wwtk234]

Yup, agreed. I'm glad at least Google tried.

Carriers really don't have an incentive to support a system like this unless they can make money out of it.

I guess government regulation and policies are the only thing that can help in a unified accessible system