Despite the fact that today users clearly have no shortage of messengers, new services are constantly trying to enter this market. But if most of the newcomers do not even have a chance to gain a foothold and win the attention of users, then companies with an audience will clearly find it easier. Google realized this and decided to create its own messenger based on the already existing 'Google Messages' application. But the rollout of the new service – obviously due to the integration with the SMS-messaging service – was somehow delayed. So Samsung came to Google's aid. Of course, on very favorable terms.
Nobody needs instant messengers, everyone has their own, but Google doesn't think so
Google and Samsung are working to equip Galaxy smartphones with RCS support through the Google Messaging app. It is a messaging service that is similar to SMS but has a number of differences.
Differences between RCS and SMS
Messages from Google will work online on Samsung smartphones
- Increased character limit in text messages;
- The ability to send stickers, emoji and even media attachments;
- The ability to monitor in real time that the user is typing a message;
- Support for passive read receipts that appear below messages;
- Support for group chats while preserving the capabilities typical of one-on-one conversations.
Despite the clear superiority over SMS, RCS can work both via the Internet and through operator's GSM networks as ordinary SMS. But since Google failed to reach an agreement with operators around the world, she decided to provide servers for processing messages herself. True, it soon became clear that the search giant was not yet ready to provide the whole world with RCS communication, and therefore the deployment of the service slowed down. But either Samsung offered Google its servers, or somehow otherwise interested it, but, as it became known, since April the companies have been working together to optimize RCS for devices of the Galaxy line.
Messages to Android
I would not use Google's messenger, but perhaps it will be convenient for someone
Samsung and Google have not yet disclosed the timing of RCS availability on Samsung smartphones. After all, optimizing a service – especially for specific devices – is not a fast process. However, it is likely that the companies will finish customization and debugging this summer and will provide Samsung users with the ability to exchange messages using Google's Messages app. It's so convenient to have a built-in messenger out of the box than to search for the one you need on Google Play. And since Samsung smartphones are owned not only by advanced users, for whom downloading a third-party application is not particularly difficult, but also by those for whom this is a dark forest, there is a chance that Google's solution will enjoy some popularity.
On the one hand, this is great, because Samsung smartphones will get an additional feature and get closer to Google, which is quite a winning position compared to competitors. However, on the other hand, due to the fact that RCS is now rather poorly distributed around the world and is supported on a limited number of devices, the owners of Samsung devices will still not be able to use the new protocol for free messaging. Rather, they can, but the audience of those to whom they can write something and receive a response will be extremely small, which automatically negates all the benefits of the upcoming update.
Would I use Google's RCS messaging myself? Probably not. After all, everyone with whom I communicate in messengers is already firmly on either WhatsApp or Telegram. There is no doubt that Google has enough users who could make up the audience of the company's proprietary messenger, but the company was very late with the launch, and, having failed to roll out the new product globally, it lost its chance of success. Therefore, it seems to me that 'Google Messages' will remain some kind of local service for those who either cannot or do not want to download something more worthwhile.