Google wants to improve the text-messaging experience on Android by embracing Rich Communications Services (RCS), though in an age of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, it remains to be seen if the move will have much of an impact.
Nonetheless, the search giant is teaming up with mostly international wireless carriers to roll out RCS, which promises features like group chat, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts, and advanced calling.
Participating carriers include Sprint, América Móvil, Bharti Airtel Ltd, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Globe Telecom, KPN, Millicom, MTN, Orange, PLAY, Smart Communications, Telenor Group, TeliaSonera, Telstra, TIM, Turkcell, VimpelCom, and Vodafone. They have "agreed to transition toward a common, universal profile based on the GSMA's RCS specifications and an Android RCS client provided by Google in collaboration with operators and OEMs," according to the GSMA, which runs MWC.
According to the GSMA, carriers can "deploy their own infrastructure or they have the option to use the Jibe Platform from Google, which supports the universal RCS profile." Google acquired Jibe in September to help carriers "easily deploy RCS to their users."
"The features available in SMS haven't kept up with modern messaging apps. Rich Communications Services (RCS) is a new standard for carrier messaging and brings many of the features that people now expect from mobile messaging, such as group chats, high res photos and more," Google said at the time.
"Many leaders in the wireless industry have already put great work into laying the foundation for RCS, and we've heard from many of them that there are ways Android can help," Google continued. "We're excited to team up with mobile operators, device makers and the rest of the Android ecosystem to support RCS standards and help accelerate their deployment in a more consistent way."
If group chat, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts, and advanced calling sound like something you already engage in, you probably either have an iPhone or use messaging apps like WhatsApp, which now has more than 1 billion users. But for Android users, the move means they might not have to move to a standalone messaging app to use these features.
"This initiative will greatly simplify and accelerate adoption of the technology, and points to the future of how mobile users will communicate with one another," GSMA CTO Alex Sinclair said in a statement. "This is an incredibly positive development for the industry."
Exact rollout plans haven't been announced. It remains to be seen if U.S. carriers beyond Sprint sign on; as The Verge reports, T-Mobile says it's not necessarily involved even though parent company DT is part of the deal.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.