Google announced today that it has successfully rolled out Rich Communication Services (RCS) support to its Messages app globally. Messages is the default Android messaging app.

“We’ve completed our global rollout of chat features to make this modern messaging experience universal and interconnected for everyone on Android,” Google’s Drew Rowny announced. “Now anyone using Messages around the world1 has access to modern chat features either from their carrier or directly from Google.”

As Google explains it, RCS upgrades SMS text messaging so that users can send and receive better quality photos and videos, chat over Wi-Fi or data, know when messages are read, share reactions, and enjoy more dynamic and engaging group chats.

And going forward, Google says that it will continue to upgrade its support for RCS to include better security and privacy as well.

“We will be rolling out end-to-end encryption, starting with one-on-one RCS conversations between people using Messages,” Rowny continues. “End-to-end encryption ensures that no one, including Google and third parties, can read the content of your messages as they travel between your phone and the phone of the person you’re messaging.”

This encryption capability will begin rolling out to beta testers this month, Google says, and will continue into 2021. You can learn more about this feature on the Google Help Center.

Tagged with Android Messages