The long-awaited integration of RCS (Rich Communication Services) support in Apple’s iMessage finally seemed to have a concrete timeline… until it didn’t. Out of nowhere, Google has mysteriously removed a recent update to its Messages landing page that confidently announced Apple’s adoption of RCS for the fall of 2024.
The initial update offered a glimmer of hope for both Android and iPhone users who have long yearned for the cross-platform benefits that RCS would bring. RCS, the intended successor to SMS, enables enhanced features like read receipts, typing indicators, and higher quality media sharing — essentially upgrading the basic text messaging experience.
Google, a fierce proponent of RCS adoption, had been publicly pressuring Apple over its reluctance to support the standard. The newly added section of the Messages landing page seemed to signal a breakthrough, reading, “Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone.” While I was still able to find the deleted page with the help of the Wayback machine as seen in the screenshot below, it’s no longer there as I write this.
However, not long after the information has silently been removed. It’s unclear why Google pulled the update. Did Apple object to the specific timeline reveal? Was it an error on Google’s part to reveal the actual date? Or perhaps, in a hopeful scenario, is the timeline simply being revised?
For now, the wait for seamless messaging between Android and iPhone through RCS continues. The brief tease of a concrete date has only fueled further anticipation, leaving both Android and iPhone users wondering when (or if) they’ll finally see the benefits of this long-overdue upgrade.
Hillary Keverenge
2114 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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