It's awesome that this is active on Android and for all carriers...I'm guessing Apple won't be supporting it because then the "bubbles" thing wouldn't be a thing anymore and iDevice users wouldn't have that differentiator any longer.
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US carriers kill Google's RCS messaging initiative
- Thread starter Deleted member 8860
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What's so hard about installing WhatsApp? In Europe, it didn't happen overnight but everyone was just stopped texting people on SMS as people started creating WhatsApps cause it was a way for everyone to efficiently text. I use WhatsApp becusss I prefer it to iMessage. Sometimes if I send a message on iMessage it will lie there unsent for ages. WhatsApp doesn't have that problem.
I even asked some of my American friends to install WhatsApp and they did and they also preferred it. I don't get what the big deal is about installing WhatsApp in the US. Is everyone on 16GB phones or something? It literally takes 2-5 minutes to have WhatsApp. I have iMessage, messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, Snapchat, Instagram and others. People just text me where it's convenient. Sometimes on WhatsApp, sometimes on Snapchat or others. Would not dream of conversing with someone over SMS like I'm in the early 2000's.
I even asked some of my American friends to install WhatsApp and they did and they also preferred it. I don't get what the big deal is about installing WhatsApp in the US. Is everyone on 16GB phones or something? It literally takes 2-5 minutes to have WhatsApp. I have iMessage, messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, Snapchat, Instagram and others. People just text me where it's convenient. Sometimes on WhatsApp, sometimes on Snapchat or others. Would not dream of conversing with someone over SMS like I'm in the early 2000's.
The world is a big place and WhatsApp Is owned by Facebook. Pass.
I don't understand what is the big deal here? Are we really this picky over a text message? Give me your number, let me text you...that's it...I don't see what it is to be up in arms about.
It's not hard, but what is the benefit really? A text message is a text message. When I go to a bar I've never heard someone say "hey I don't want to give you my number but I do use WhatsApp". Seems like much ado about nothing.
It's not hard, but what is the benefit really? A text message is a text message. When I go to a bar I've never heard someone say "hey I don't want to give you my number but I do use WhatsApp". Seems like much ado about nothing.
Well, it wouldn't actually change Apple's bubble thing at all.
The system would look like this.
- If both parties are using iMessage, then send iMessage using the iMessage protocol (use blue bubbles)
- If recepients are not using iMessage, send RCS (let's say they could use a purple bubble for this)
- If RCS is not possible, send MMS/SMS (green strikes back)
But you do use your number when you use WhatsApp.
The biggest benefit for anyone using WhatsApp is that it's a better messenger for multimedia. It can send documents, files, high resolution videos and you can use it on your computer. Which isn't always possible on Android or traditional MMS/SMS. Plus, all communication is encrypted.
Whatapp is a bit behind here, you can add other users scanning their qr code from their screen with other popular apps.
Whatsapp is still end to end encrypted.
RCS is not. Google say that they will delete the message from the server as soon is delivered, but it's not part of the protocol.
It's funny because this feature will be relevant only in the US.
Other countries will support it, but no one will actively use this thing.
The only reason someone in Europe uses SMS is for authentication purposes.
- You still need a number for WhatsApp
- Also, Whatsapp is end-to-end encrypted, RCS is not (so your carrier and/or Google is technically able to snoop in on your stuff)
yeah pretty much. Or maybe by some old relatives :P
Those seem like such minor benefits for all the hubbub...if I need to do any of that then I obvious know the person better than what is required for text message, and we are communicating on social media somewhere. I just don't see what the "America sucks even more because we don't use this Facebook product" mentality on this is about.
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Well, WhatsApp is owned by Facebook which doesn't necessarily have a sterling reputation right now and I'd rather not put a product of theirs on my phone.
Right? Like whether is SMS or WhatsApp, why is texting in 2019 all that important? I've never had a girl in a bar say "hey I'll give you my number but first I want to make sure you are using this specific app". Texting in itself is a throw-away activity. Most people I know are using some social media app, or some IM program like Google Hangouts.
It's not a big deal but it just isn't what people are used to do. When I make a friend overseas, it's usually "hey what's your Line/WhatsApp/WeChat/FB/etc? let's connect". Where as in the US it's still stuck with exchanging phone number except perhaps the younger crowd. Not to forget that Apple has larger presence in the US than it is elsewhere, so the default for a lot of people is iMessage, which already supports the features of the other messaging apps from a user's point of view. Some are aware that sms fallback sucks ass, hence the green bubbles discrimination; while the others simply don't know the difference. Lastly, majority of Americans don't travel or deal with people outside of America so there's simply no incentives to use non-default apps.
It's not hard, but I am not putting any Facebook-owned apps on my phone. Get on Telegram, it's better than WhatsApp anyway.
If you have a group of tech savvy friends, you don't need to wait.
Because you use iPhone. Try telling the difference in a android device. It's awful.
I'm an iPhone user (hell I work at Apple lol) but no way in hell im using iMessage.
You see, we can do all that on iMessage. If you have an iPhone and you live in the US, theres almost no incentive to switch.
Not being able to message android users with rich messaging is a pretty big con
Unless older people in non US countries are just inherently smarter, I think this is incorrect. The boomer generation in Canada learned to adopt what's app just fine but Android adoption is higher here. The US is the outlier because iPhone adoption is especially high there and sms rates weren't so egriegious in the past that it encouraged mass adoption of messaging apps like it did in other places.
It's almost another metric vs imperial thing at this point
In an ideal world iMessage would be available online and Android and PCs. But it's not.
Note that my general use goes iMessage -> WhatsApp -> Text.
Threads about this on Era are always pretty funny. There's no denying that Google dropped the ball on messaging but only Americans will think Apple has nailed it. The US is as far as I know the only place where iMessage has a significant market share. The rest of the world uses WhatsApp, LINE or wechat even on iPhone.
You don't feel an incentive to download a trash battery draining Facebook owned third party app? How STRANGE.
iMessage is part of the issue since its split the market and is only available on one platform.
I used my mother in law as an example because the woman is the most stubborn person I know.
You laid out exactly why apps like WhatsApp didn't catch on in the US. I laid out why people here won't change to another app, no matter how much better it is.
You're going to have to drag people kicking and screaming to anew messaging service. Telling them the technical reasons why isn't enough anymore.
The best way to do it at this point is to change the protocol used, but make everything look the same.
That's essentially what RCS does.
The biggest thing will be the ability to send higher quality images and video.
The biggest issue with non-homogenous messaging across platforms is the userbase split.
no one would mind downloading one extra app, the problem is thats not the case. Friends with iOs use iMessage, then friends with Android use Whatsapp, google messenger, facebook messenger, snapchat, discord, etc because they've all segmented off to their own choice since Android doesn't have a good innate messaging, especially flr group chatting.
so yeah as an american if somehow everyone decided on one paradigm I wouldnt care one way or the other, but if RCS can fix android users just being able to talk with imessage users, itd be an instant win IMO
no one would mind downloading one extra app, the problem is thats not the case. Friends with iOs use iMessage, then friends with Android use Whatsapp, google messenger, facebook messenger, snapchat, discord, etc because they've all segmented off to their own choice since Android doesn't have a good innate messaging, especially flr group chatting.
so yeah as an american if somehow everyone decided on one paradigm I wouldnt care one way or the other, but if RCS can fix android users just being able to talk with imessage users, itd be an instant win IMO
When will this be activated in Canada? I have a Pixel phone, so I presume I would get it as soon as Google activates it here.
I live in the US and cant think of any other messaging app to be honest.
Everyone I know (including myself) uses Whatsapp lol.
It works because texting in those countries costs extra. Why doesn't google just incorporate WhatsApp into default android text. Then everyone can be happy.
That would involve having to make a deal with FB which I doubt Google wants to do.
That's actually not a bad idea. They could probably charge fb billions for it too.
I'm on samsung S10+. There was a notification of my normal text improving but dont see an improvement. Do I have to download an app from android for it to work?
Its works because it's 2019 and people download apps. Sms is free everywhere.
I think the reason WhatsApp isnt popular in the states is because of facebook themselves.They want people to download Facebook messenger amd Instagram instead and purposely don't advertise WhatsApp. When I go to other countries WhatsApp is on signage everywhere.
If your country is using whatsapp then you haven't "nailed it" either. Frankly, the situation is shitty across the globe.