Much more folks is perhaps about to begin utilizing Wealthy Communication Companies (RCS), the brand new messaging normal that has had a protracted and messy rollout, as Google’s Messages app is the brand new messaging default for newer Samsung gadgets. Whereas the Galaxy S21 lineup shipped with Samsung Messages by default final 12 months within the US, 9to5Google seen its Galaxy S22 Plus evaluate unit had Google Messages set because the default when arrange from scratch, and that’s the case with The Verge’s Galaxy S22 Extremely evaluate unit as properly.
Samsung confirmed that Google’s app is the brand new default in an announcement to The Verge. “To create the very best messaging expertise for customers — with a richer, extra partaking communication expertise that’s constant throughout platforms — Samsung is now making Messages the default messaging app for Galaxy S22 sequence customers worldwide, giving them even higher capabilities,” spokesperson Jordan Guthmann stated.
RCS provides many enhancements over SMS texting, corresponding to typing indicators, learn receipts, and the flexibility to share greater decision images and bigger recordsdata, however adoption within the US has taken years. Google has largely led the cost and even rolled out end-to-end encryption to its messaging app in June. However the massive carriers have dragged their ft — whereas they agreed to exchange SMS with RCS in 2019, we needed to wait till 2021 for T-Cell, AT&T, and Verizon to commit to creating Google Messages the default messaging app for his or her Android telephones.
Samsung telephones make up a big quantity of the Android telephones offered within the US, so the change to Google Messages needs to be a boon for RCS adoption. Now we simply want Apple to get on the RCS prepare, which Google would love, too.
Replace February 14th, 4:03PM ET: Added Samsung assertion.
