Roses are purple, iMessages are blue, RCS stays inexperienced, and Apple gained’t help Google’s proprietary encryption

Apple quietly saying plans so as to add RCS support to the iPhone’s Message app wasn’t on my bingo card for this 12 months. The way in which the affirmation got here out of the blue on Thursday afternoon was all of the extra shocking. Apple is lastly including RCS help to iMessage, which ought to enhance texting between iPhone customers and Androids.

However this gained’t change the best way the Messages app works on iPhone. iMessage textual content will nonetheless be despatched over the web, full with end-to-end encryption. RCS messages will seem inexperienced on iPhone, relatively than one other colour, to distinguish them from iMessage and the SMS/MMS commonplace. RCS texts won’t be encrypted.

Additionally, Apple is embracing the RCS commonplace that the GSMA developed, and that’s a key element right here. It’s not Google’s RCS, which helps end-to-end encryption, however the unencrypted commonplace that carriers use. Does that imply the blue vs. inexperienced struggle will proceed to rage on?

Blue and inexperienced bubbles will live on

Some Android customers may say that Apple saying RCS help implies that Google and Samsung gained. After years of campaigning in opposition to the blue vs. inexperienced chat bubbles differentiation in iMessage, it is a victory for Google, sure. However solely a partial one. Technically, the bubbles will keep in place. Apple has confirmed as a lot to John Gruber.

It’s not simply the colour. Extra vital is that Apple is just trying to cope with the official GSMA commonplace, not the RCS expertise Google has developed.

Inexperienced bubbles will imply you get SMS, MMS, or RCS texts in your iPhone. You’ll have the ability to differentiate them from their contents. RCS helps higher-resolution photographs and movies. However that’s about it. Apple’s end-to-end encrypted iMessage won’t change colour. They’ll stay blue, as earlier than.

Right here’s Apple’s assertion to 9to5Mac and TechRadar on RCS adoption:

Later subsequent 12 months, we will probably be including help for RCS Common Profile, the usual as presently printed by the GSM Affiliation. We consider RCS Common Profile will supply a greater interoperability expertise when in comparison with SMS or MMS. This may work alongside iMessage, which is able to proceed to be one of the best and most safe messaging expertise for Apple customers.

However the iPhone maker additionally instructed TechRadar it gained’t help different corporations’ proprietary RCS encryption. Apple didn’t identify Google, however that’s what it in all probability referred to:

The RCS commonplace nonetheless doesn’t help end-to-end encryption. Apple, which has supplied encrypted messaging for over a decade, is type of a stickler about safety. Apple says it gained’t be supporting any proprietary extensions that search so as to add encryption on high of RCS and hopes, as a substitute, to work with the GSM Affiliation so as to add encryption to the usual.

Why the change of thoughts?

Why is Apple doing all of this? It’s in all probability attempting to appease regulators, particularly in Europe, the place iMessage is the topic of a probe. The EU desires to find out whether or not the iPhone’s key messaging app ought to be a gatekeeper within the area. Google and among the massive carriers in Europe have already requested regulators to categorize iMessage as a gatekeeper. The deadline for such appeals expires this week.

A gatekeeper designation would force Apple to make iMessage work with competing services if these providers need such interoperability. It’s greater than including the RCS commonplace to the iPhone’s Messages app.

Apple embracing RCS can also be a strategy to put considerably of an finish to Google’s marketing campaign, which is a good advertising trick for the latter. Google is making it look like it’s advocating for the patron. However the blue vs. inexperienced chat bubble just isn’t a factor in Europe.

Most individuals already use WhatsApp to speak throughout platforms. As a longtime consumer, I in all probability use WhatsApp greater than iMessage. I’ll use SMS/MMS solely as a final resort, nonetheless. The adoption of RCS won’t affect my texting expertise.

What is going to Google do subsequent?

Google might proceed the marketing campaign, as Apple gained’t help the RCS model that Google operates.

Retaining the colours in place makes it simple to inform which texts are safe and which aren’t. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see what occurs if RCS on iPhones will get encryption help.

Nonetheless, campaigning for including Google’s proprietary RCS system could be harder. Google can’t say that Apple doesn’t help RCS anymore. Google might all the time do it, however we’ll see what occurs down the highway.

For now, Google stated in a press release that it’s pleased to see Apple undertake RCS. Google will work with Apple to implement RCS on iPhone “in a means that works effectively for everybody:”

Everybody deserves to speak with one another in methods which might be fashionable and safe, it doesn’t matter what cellphone they’ve. That’s why we have now labored intently with the cell business to speed up the adoption of RCS, and we’re pleased to see Apple take their first step at present by approaching board to embrace RCS. We welcome Apple’s participation in our ongoing work with GSMA to evolve RCS and make messaging extra equitable and safe, and look ahead to working with them to implement this on iOS in a means that works effectively for everybody.

That stated, I don’t assume RCS help will profit Google in earnest. Individuals who swap from Android to iPhone have higher causes to do it than iMessage.