Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13

I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
wonderful RCS Chats is.

Potential cons:

1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
frequently text with all have iPhones.)

2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.

Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
to?

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA
https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Stan Brown wrote:

> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
> frequently text with all have iPhones.)

Just reverts to SMS (or MMS I guess, I never send those due to £££)

> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.

You can turn off read receipt (and typing indicators)

> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
> to?

Yes, my network used to provide RCS via their own servers, they have
recently bounced users over to Google/jibe's servers, can't comment yet
if the reliability has changed.

I don't do WhatsApp (and trying to convince friends to use
Signal/Telegram would be an uphill struggle) so the ability to sent free
picture messages to at least my android-using contacts is handy.

Stan Brown wrote:

> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>
> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>
> Potential cons:
>
> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
> frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>
> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>
> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
> to?

If it is enabled and you accidentally go over the SMS limit, or add
something that isn't allowed in SMS, it sends it as an MMS and costs a
mint. There may be a way to prevent that now, but I couldn't find one at
the time it first appeared. I found another app that only does SMS
(Spamhound) and which enables blocking of commercial and other spam. I'm
sure there are others which are SMS only.

--
Bob
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England

Can you be a closet claustrophobic?

On Sat, 28 Oct 2023 11:10:28 -0700, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

>Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>
>I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
>to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
>articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
>enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
>wonderful RCS Chats is.
>
>Potential cons:
>
>1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
>frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>
>2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
>videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>
>Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
>could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
>to?

Don't forget Google saves every message. That is why I went back to
original messaging app.

KenW

On 2023-10-28 20:10, Stan Brown wrote:
> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>
> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>
> Potential cons:
>
> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
> frequently text with all have iPhones.)

Doesn't matter. If RCS is not available, the tool will use the previous
method.

> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.

I've never been sent anything "big". I don't know about they knowing if
you opened the message or files. I'll have to find out about that.

The feature exists in email since decades, but many clients ask you
before sending that information back (configurable). Windows perhaps
sends it silently.

WhatsApp, for instance, behaves by default that way (for every message).
No big deal, you can disable it.

>
> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
> to?

I enabled it soon after I learned about it.

It has features that have been there since ages for other messaging
apps, like WhatsApp. I have not seen anything bad about it. The worst
that I heard is that it will not get enough users to matter.

For me, it has one very important feature: sending a message to my
relatives across the pond costs me money, as much as an euro per
message. But sending via RCS is free. If you live in NA and only message
people in NA, it will not matter to you.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 2023-10-28 20:50, Bob Henson wrote:
> Stan Brown wrote:
>
>> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>>
>> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
>> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
>> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
>> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
>> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>>
>> Potential cons:
>>
>> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
>> frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>>
>> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
>> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>>
>> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
>> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
>> to?
>
> If it is enabled and you accidentally go over the SMS limit, or add
> something that isn't allowed in SMS, it sends it as an MMS and costs a
> mint. There may be a way to prevent that now, but I couldn't find one at
> the time it first appeared. I found another app that only does SMS
> (Spamhound) and which enables blocking of commercial and other spam. I'm
> sure there are others which are SMS only.

It was common for apps to tell you when the current message would be
sent as MMS.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Am 28.10.23 um 20:10 schrieb Stan Brown:
> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>
> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>
> Potential cons:
>
> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
> frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>
> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>
> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
> to?

You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.

It is so simple: Nobody needs it.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

Carlos E. R. wrote:

> It was common for apps to tell you when the current message would be
> sent as MMS.

I do remember an issue around the android 4.x era where the stock
messaging app would 'promote' an SMS message sent to multiple recipients
into an MMS message for group chat.

But google hadn't realised that SMS and MMS were/are charged very
differently in some countries (e.g. the UK) they must have got plenty of
complaints as it was soon reversed.

Am 29.10.23 um 08:04 schrieb Andy Burns:
> Carlos E. R. wrote:
>
>> It was common for apps to tell you when the current message would be
>> sent as MMS.
>
> I do remember an issue around the android 4.x era where the stock
> messaging app would 'promote' an SMS message sent to multiple recipients
> into an MMS message for group chat.
>
> But google hadn't realised that SMS and MMS were/are charged very
> differently in some countries (e.g. the UK) they must have got plenty of
> complaints as it was soon reversed.

Because of cost and quality issues MMS never reached a relevant market
share in Europe. In some countries like Switzerland for instance
MMS-services were ceased a while ago.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
> Am 28.10.23 um 20:10 schrieb Stan Brown:
>> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>>
>> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
>> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
>> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
>> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
>> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>>
>> Potential cons:
>>
>> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
>> frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>>
>> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
>> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>>
>> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
>> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
>> to?
>
> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>
> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>

Stan: don't listen to him.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>>
>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>
>
>
> Stan: don't listen to him.

Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
*RCS is a gimp*. If someone wants to enjoy privacy RCS is the hell. And
if someone wants to chat even WhatsApp is the better solution.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> Am 28.10.23 um 20:10 schrieb Stan Brown:
>>> Samsung Galaxy A54, Android 13
>>>
>>> I use the Google Messaging app. It's started nagging me
>>> to enable RCS Chats. I did some googling, but the
>>> articles all seem to be either the nuts and bolts of
>>> enabling/disabling, or glowing but vague praises of how
>>> wonderful RCS Chats is.
>>>
>>> Potential cons:
>>>
>>> 1. Doesn't work for iPhones. (The family and friends I
>>> frequently text with all have iPhones.)
>>>
>>> 2. Businesses can send long messages, big files, and
>>> videos, and learn whether I ever opened them.
>>>
>>> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
>>> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
>>> to?
>>
>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>>
>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>
>
>
> Stan: don't listen to him.

I use RCS on my Pixel 7: Nobody needs that. Got max. 6 RCS-messages
since I activated it years back.

iOS users laugh themselves to death. Google clearly missed out and RCS
is not the solution for Android and its users.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>
>
>
> Stan: don't listen to him.

Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app
Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be
transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging
service to work on a wider RCS implementation.[19][20][21] In June 2019,
Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis
via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile
and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this
functionality began in France and the United Kingdom.[19][20] Google
initially branded RCS functionality under the generic term "chat
features"; in February 2023 Google began to replace references to "chat"
with "RCS".[7]

In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS,
Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it
is delivered to the recipient.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Communication_Services

*Nobody needs it*!

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

On Sat, 28 Oct 2023 11:10:28 -0700, Stan Brown wrote:
> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
> to?

Thanks to all who responded. It sounds like RCS Chats has advantages
for some people, but those don't apply to how I use messaging. I'm in
the US and only message people in the US, and both data and messaging
are free and unlimited with my plan. (If you're curious, check out
<Visible.com>, a subsidiary of Verizon.) I've already sent the
occasional image or video to family via Messaging, so I know that
works without RCS Chats. Being a dinosaur, I don't use any social
media apps or websites, so being able to do the equivalent in
Messaging doesn't attract me.

Somebody mentioned "read receipts" in email. It's a long time since I
used any other mail client, but in Thunderbird, which I've been
using for years I have both receipts and viewing of remote images
disabled. My email provider doesn't even have a setting: it never
responds to read-receipt requests.

After reading what everyone wrote, I have dismissed the Google
prompt. Hopefully it won't reappear every time I open Messages!

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
> Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
>>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>>>
>>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Stan: don't listen to him.
>
> Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.

I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.

You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
posters, but you insist in your false claims.

So your facts are just your personal opinions.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 2023-10-29 17:49, Stan Brown wrote:
> On Sat, 28 Oct 2023 11:10:28 -0700, Stan Brown wrote:
>> Has anyone here actually enabled RCS Chats, and if so
>> could you mention one or two reasons why I might want
>> to?
>
> Thanks to all who responded. It sounds like RCS Chats has advantages
> for some people, but those don't apply to how I use messaging. I'm in
> the US and only message people in the US, and both data and messaging
> are free and unlimited with my plan. (If you're curious, check out
> <Visible.com>, a subsidiary of Verizon.) I've already sent the
> occasional image or video to family via Messaging, so I know that
> works without RCS Chats. Being a dinosaur, I don't use any social
> media apps or websites, so being able to do the equivalent in
> Messaging doesn't attract me.
>
> Somebody mentioned "read receipts" in email. It's a long time since I
> used any other mail client, but in Thunderbird, which I've been
> using for years I have both receipts and viewing of remote images
> disabled. My email provider doesn't even have a setting: it never
> responds to read-receipt requests.
>
> After reading what everyone wrote, I have dismissed the Google
> prompt. Hopefully it won't reappear every time I open Messages!
>

Activating it doesn't harm you in anyway. You simply have some more
features, and maybe some of your correspondents do need it.

I have relatives in Canada. RCS doesn't directly benefit them, but it
does benefit me, a lot, if they activate it.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Am 29.10.23 um 20:09 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>>> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>>>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
>>>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>>>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>>>>
>>>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Stan: don't listen to him.
>>
>> Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
>
> I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.
>
> You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
> posters, but you insist in your false claims.
>
> So your facts are just your personal opinions.

Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app
Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be
transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging
service to work on a wider RCS implementation.[19][20][21] In June 2019,
Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis
via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile
and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this
functionality began in France and the United Kingdom.[19][20] Google
initially branded RCS functionality under the generic term "chat
features"; in February 2023 Google began to replace references to "chat"
with "RCS".[7]

In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS,
Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it
is delivered to the recipient.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Communication_Services

*Nobody needs it*!

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

Am 29.10.23 um 20:14 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> Activating it doesn't harm you in anyway. You simply have some more
> features, and maybe some of your correspondents do need it.

Nobody needs a man in the middle (=Google).

> I have relatives in Canada. RCS doesn't directly benefit them, but it
> does benefit me, a lot, if they activate it.

My friends and relatives in the US all use either iMessage (majority) or
WA, Signal, Telegram or other instant messengers (minority).

Nobody uses RCS.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
> On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
> > Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> >> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
> >>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
> >>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
> >>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
> >>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
> >>>
> >>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
> >>
> >> Stan: don't listen to him.
> >
> > Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
>
> I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.
>
> You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
> posters, but you insist in your false claims.
>
> So your facts are just your personal opinions.

Don't be so hard on poor Jörg! He can't help it that he has no display
or/and no eyes or/and no <deleted>, can he!?

On 2023-10-29 21:34, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
> Am 29.10.23 um 20:09 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>> On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>> Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>>>> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>>>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>>>>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot
>>>>> receive or
>>>>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>>>>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market
>>>>> completely.
>>>>>
>>>>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Stan: don't listen to him.
>>>
>>> Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
>>
>> I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.
>>
>> You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
>> posters, but you insist in your false claims.
>>
>> So your facts are just your personal opinions.
>
> Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app
> Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be
> transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging
> service to work on a wider RCS implementation.[19][20][21] In June 2019,
> Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis
> via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile
> and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this
> functionality began in France and the United Kingdom.[19][20] Google
> initially branded RCS functionality under the generic term "chat
> features"; in February 2023 Google began to replace references to "chat"
> with "RCS".[7]
>
> In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS,
> Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it
> is delivered to the recipient.

So what? :-D

Without RCS, the default messaging app doesn't ever encrypt anything.
SMSs are sent in the clear.

And we are talking of the default messaging application.

>
> Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Communication_Services
>
> *Nobody needs it*!
>
>

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 2023-10-30 16:26, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> Carlos E. R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>> On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>> Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>>>> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>>>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>>>>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot receive or
>>>>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>>>>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market completely.
>>>>>
>>>>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>>>
>>>> Stan: don't listen to him.
>>>
>>> Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
>>
>> I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.
>>
>> You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
>> posters, but you insist in your false claims.
>>
>> So your facts are just your personal opinions.
>
> Don't be so hard on poor Jörg! He can't help it that he has no display
> or/and no eyes or/and no <deleted>, can he!?

:-)

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 30 Oct 2023 19:12:46 +0100 Carlos E. R. wrote:
>On 2023-10-29 21:34, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> Am 29.10.23 um 20:09 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>>> On 2023-10-29 16:05, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>>> Am 29.10.23 um 12:54 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
>>>>> On 2023-10-29 08:00, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>>>>>> You summarize it: RCS is a very old Nokia development.
>>>>>> Nobody needs it and almost 50% of mobiles in the field cannot
>>>>>> receive or
>>>>>> send it. Privacy is abusive and it is a project of a frustrated
>>>>>> Google-company that missed out the instant messaging market
>>>>>> completely.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It is so simple: Nobody needs it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Stan: don't listen to him.
>>>>
>>>> Carlos: Learn to face the facts! Nobody needs RCS.
>>>
>>> I do, that's a fact, so you got your facts wrong.
>>>
>>> You have claimed that many times, your ideas were debunked by several
>>> posters, but you insist in your false claims.
>>>
>>> So your facts are just your personal opinions.
>>
>> Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app
>> Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be
>> transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging
>> service to work on a wider RCS implementation.[19][20][21] In June 2019,
>> Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis
>> via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile
>> and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this
>> functionality began in France and the United Kingdom.[19][20] Google
>> initially branded RCS functionality under the generic term "chat
>> features"; in February 2023 Google began to replace references to "chat"
>> with "RCS".[7]
>>
>> In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS,
>> Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it
>> is delivered to the recipient.
>
>So what? :-D
>
>Without RCS, the default messaging app doesn't ever encrypt anything.
>SMSs are sent in the clear.
>
>And we are talking of the default messaging application.
>

"Never argue with a fool, for he is doing the same."
(Les Barker.)

--
(Remove numerics from email address)

Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote

> Thanks to all who responded. It sounds like RCS Chats has advantages
> for some people, but those don't apply to how I use messaging. I'm in
> the US and only message people in the US, and both data and messaging
> are free and unlimited with my plan.

Hi Stan,

This is an FYI to let you know of another possible similar solution...
<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>

I'm NOT suggesting you install this program, but I am letting you know that
it seems to be trying to do what RCS does for Android & Messages for iOS.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

BTW, I'm well aware the Klinker brothers sold to Maple Media, so I use the
last known good version of the app - which still does the same things well.
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/OO-0G-_1qeU/m/dmDU_yaVBAAJ>

Just to repeat - I'm not suggesting you install it - but I am saying that I
tested every free adfree messaging app ever suggested on this newsgroup (at
least as of about two years ago when I ran those tests) and I found it the
best (and it still works fine even though my version is frozen in time).
<https://support.pulsesms.app/hc/en-us/articles/15528018713499-Pulse-SMS-What-is-Pulse-SMS->

a. The entire iOS newsgroup couldn't find anything that the default Apple
iOS messaging app does that PulseSMS didn't already do (plus things).
b. And as far as I can tell, I don't know if there's anything that RCS
does that PulseSMS doesn't already do (although at cost as Andy noted).

But I could be wrong because I don't use RCS and in fact, I don't know why
anyone in the USA does given our MMS messages are usually free & unlimited.

Am 30.10.23 um 19:12 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> On 2023-10-29 21:34, Jörg Lorenz wrote:
>> Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app
>> Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be
>> transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging
>> service to work on a wider RCS implementation.[19][20][21] In June 2019,
>> Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis
>> via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile
>> and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this
>> functionality began in France and the United Kingdom.[19][20] Google
>> initially branded RCS functionality under the generic term "chat
>> features"; in February 2023 Google began to replace references to "chat"
>> with "RCS".[7]
>>
>> In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS,
>> Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it
>> is delivered to the recipient.
>
> So what? :-D
>
> Without RCS, the default messaging app doesn't ever encrypt anything.
> SMSs are sent in the clear.

That is OT and everybody knows it.

> And we are talking of the default messaging application.

Who cares? RCS is a gimp.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

On 30.10.23 19:34, Dave Royal wrote:
> "Never argue with a fool, for he is doing the same."
> (Les Barker.)

That's why I can easily abstain from talking to you, Troll.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)