RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a contemporary industry standard that enhances messaging by offering more interactive and secure conversations compared to traditional SMS and MMS. This advanced protocol allows users to share high-resolution media, view read receipts, react to messages, send GIFs, and see typing indicators.
Furthermore, RCS conversations are encrypted end-to-end, ensuring that privacy is maintained and conversations are protected from unauthorized access. However, RCS functionality is dependent on all participants having the feature enabled.
If any party does not support RCS, messages revert to standard SMS or MMS. It’s also worth noting that not all devices and carriers have embraced RCS yet.
Recently, Android Authority explored a beta version of Google Messages, uncovering potential updates that may introduce RCS labels for contacts. Currently, when a user clicks on “Start chat,” all contacts are displayed without indication of who has RCS activated.
The proposed update aims to add distinct RCS tags to the names and numbers of contacts using RCS, enhancing user experience across both Android and iPhone platforms. The user interface will be updated to clearly differentiate RCS-enabled users from those who only utilize SMS.
Contacts using RCS will show accent colors matching the Material You design aesthetic, while SMS-only users will display in white. This distinction will be more noticeable in dark mode, providing a clearer understanding of who can take advantage of modern messaging features.
Moreover, this labeling will extend to contacts with multiple numbers, indicating which specific number supports RCS. By knowing the recipient’s RCS status, users can make informed decisions, especially when sharing sensitive information that requires a secure platform.
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