Google stated in the present day it’s testing end-to-end encryption for RCS-based group chats on its Messages app — RCS stands for Wealthy Communication Providers. The corporate famous that will probably be rolling out this characteristic to pick out customers which are a part of the app’s open beta program within the coming weeks.
This comes after a bunch of Redditors observed that Google was testing end-to-end encryption for group chats in October. The corporate’s newest announcement makes it official.
The search large first began testing end-to-end encryption for particular person RCS chats in 2020. In June, it rolled out the characteristic to all customers of its Messages app.
Google has been pushing producers and carriers to undertake RCS — a hypercharged model of SMS with options like typing indicators, supply, and browse receipts. It has been additionally working campaigns to persuade Apple to undertake this commonplace for its personal Messages app. This fashion, of us utilizing Android would be capable to ship wealthy multimedia messages with higher images and movies to their mates utilizing iPhones.
Whereas Apple hasn’t budged but, Google didn’t miss an opportunity to nudge the Cupertino-based tech large as soon as once more with the brand new announcement.
“As we speak, all the main cellular carriers and producers have adopted RCS as the usual – apart from Apple. Apple refuses to undertake RCS and continues to depend on SMS when individuals with iPhones message individuals with Android telephones, which implies their texting is caught within the Nineteen Nineties,” Neena Budhiraja, group product supervisor for the Messages app, stated in a weblog submit.
“Hopefully, Apple can #GetTheMessage so we don’t should preserve ready to take away the entire ‘green-versus-blue bubble’ factor. Joyful birthday, SMS – you have been an amazing begin, and also you had run, however everybody is prepared for an improve.”
Google has additionally tried to bridge the expertise throughout two working techniques by including options like response assist for iPhone texts.
