RCS support for 10 PCs, Samsung and iPhones.

RCS support for 10 PCs, Samsung and iPhones.

Rich communication services (RCS)-enabled messaging is now possible on Windows 10 PCs for owners of Samsung Galaxy S20 series devices, according to Microsoft. It appears that the public at large and the most recent Insider's Preview Build both have access to this feature. Additional new features for Your Phone are included in the same Preview.

A new Windows 10 Insider Preview Build (19582) has been released by Microsoft. The majority of its modifications pertain to the Your Phone app, which serves as an Android device—particularly Samsung devices—screen-mirroring utility. In fact, this advanced PC OS version includes new features that work with this OEM's 2020 flagship phones, most likely to maintain the two companies' growing cross-platform collaboration.

As a result, 19582 can now utilize RCS, provided that a Galaxy S20-line device is connected. For this to function, the phone must also be using the Samsung default messaging app. Additionally, Microsoft has disclosed that copying and pasting data between PCs and phones is now possible, as well as the other way around.

Regretfully, this new feature is limited to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip or the previously mentioned flagship series. These devices must also be on RCS-friendly carriers and be situated in specific areas.

Lastly, Insider Preview Build 19582 has a feature that allows these devices to display a black screen when Your Phone is in use. Although this may seem counter-intuitive considering the app's initial use-case, some users may find it beneficial for their privacy. Overall, the information from this Insider's Preview Build suggests that more users with a wider variety of devices may eventually be able to access its new tricks.

Apple has also confirmed that its smartphones will support RCS starting in 2024, which will take iOS and Android one step closer. It enables texts between the two platforms to include high-quality multimedia content along with typing indicators and read confirmations.

Apple surprised a number of media outlets earlier this week by confirming that RCS Universal Profile will support iPhones starting in 2024. Even though Tim Cook stated earlier this year that there would be no upgrades to iOS-to-Android text messaging, a lot has transpired since then. He obviously reconsidered Apple's approach due to pressure from Google and the regulatory bodies of the European Union.

"Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association," reads the full statement that was previously mentioned. Compared to SMS or MMS, we think RCS Universal Profile will provide a better interoperability experience. This will function in conjunction with iMessage, which will remain the greatest and safest messaging app for Apple users.

Although SMS—the antiquated form of text messaging—has been around for decades, many users find it outdated due to a few issues. A maximum length of 160 characters, lack of encryption, and inability to send multimedia files are among the restrictions. When the RCS standard was introduced in 2007, it was intended to replace SMS; however, for a number of reasons, including Apple's resistance, this didn't happen.

Ultimately, the most intriguing aspect of this agreement is Apple's pledge to encrypt RCS messages. But in contrast to Google's strategy, which uses the Messages app to provide end-to-end encryption, the Cupertino-based behemoth intends to enhance the RCS standard.

Although RCS has many more features than SMS, it is not without its limitations. In contrast to other messaging apps like Apple's iMessage or Telegram, RCS does not support end-to-end encryption. Furthermore, adding features to the platform is more challenging due to the decentralized nature of RCS servers. Furthermore, it can be challenging to add support for particular devices, which is one of the reasons Google uses its own servers and requires users to use the Google Messages app for Android RCS.

Has your Android phone informed you that RCS is now supported? If yes, how has the initial experience gone? Tell us in the comments section below.