Google rolls out RCS support for Rogers customers in Canada

By Julian Chokkattu December 13, 2016

t mobile rcs google rollout messenger

Google is picking up the pace on its RCS rollout with support for Rogers customers in Canada. Rich Communication Services is the evolution of SMS, and while 49 carriers worldwide have supported it since its launch in 2007, Google’s Universal RCS platform launched just last month with Sprint in the United States.

Many of those carriers run an older version of RCS that’s only partially compatible with Google’s Universal platform, but the search giant’s aim is to unify the service to offer a “consistent” service that works with non-Android phones as well.

Related Videos

So what exactly is RCS? It’s text messaging modernized to be on par with IP-based messaging systems like Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and Google’s Allo. RCS implementation in SMS clients means apps can recognize and display when someone is typing and transmit videos and images up to 100 times larger than multimedia text messaging (MMS). It also features read receipts, high-resolution photo-sharing, and robust group messaging, such as the ability to name them, as well as add members or leave groups.

Google’s only app that supports RCS at the moment is Google Messenger — the default texting application on some Android phones. Sprint is the first carrier to support Google’s Universal RCS platform, and Sprint will also preinstall Messenger on Android phones starting in 2017.

For Rogers, the second and latest carrier to support the Universal RCS platform, you’ll also need to use Google Messenger to make use of the new service.

“We’re beginning to roll out the enhanced messaging experience today, and it will be available to all Rogers customers soon,” writes Amir Sarhangi, Google’s head of RCS.

Sarhangi also says Rogers will “preload Messenger as the standard messaging app for new Android devices” in 2017.

The trick is to get carriers like T-Mobile to move away from its own RCS platform and switch to Google’s. The search giant says RCS will launch with more partners in the coming months.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Mobile

The Google Pixel Fold may not be as expensive as you thought

Alleged renders of the Google Pixel Fold in black.

Google’s long-in-development foldable phone — the Pixel Fold — is reportedly eyeing a late June launch. A recent leak predicted that the Pixel Fold will hit the European shelves priced at 1,700 Euros, which equates to roughly $1,800 based on current conversion rates. That’s not easy to digest, especially for a first-gen foldable phone and considering Google’s own shaky history with its Pixel hardware and software.
But it appears that the Pixel Fold’s price won’t be inexplicably exorbitant at all. Leaker Yogesh Bear shared on Twitter that the foldable phone could actually cost anywhere between $1,300 and $1,500. Assuming that turns out to be true, the Pixel Fold could undercut the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and its successor by a healthy $500.

In fact, such an asking price would put the Pixel Fold in roughly the same ballpark as the higher storage configurations of phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max. Of course, Google won’t be able to match the asking price of foldables from Chinese brands, but it would at least look competitive in the Western markets.
Now, a price of around $1,300-1,500 makes a lot of sense. First, the biggest deterrent for foldable phones is their high asking price. There’s a reason Samsung managed to sell bucketloads of its flip-style foldable phones because they cost nearly half vis-a-vis the phone-tablet hybrids in the Galaxy Z Fold series.

Mobile

Google Pixel 8: all the latest rumors and what we want to see

Google Pixel 8 leaked render.

The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on their way. Google's fallen in a pretty reliable release pattern for Pixel phones, meaning we can safely expect a new lineup of flagship Pixels each year. In 2023, that means the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are two excellent devices -- possibly two of the best smartphones Google has ever made. But while they have some serious strengths, a number of problems and missed opportunities drag both phones down. This wouldn't be a problem if the competition was standing still, but it's not. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro refreshed the iPhone design for the first time in years, and the recently released Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is quite possibly one of the best smartphones ever created. So what's a humble Pixel to do?

Mobile

I love the Galaxy S23 — here are 5 things the iPhone still does better

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 has arrived to the masses, and it’s one of the best Android phones you can get right now, especially the S23 Ultra. However, for those who don’t need all of the fancy bells and whistles, like the S Pen and 200MP main camera, the regular S23 is also plenty powerful for the average person, especially if you prefer smaller devices.

I’ve been using the Galaxy S23 for the past few weeks, and so far, my experience has been delightful. I know that it’s still early on in the year, but for me, the S23’s small size is perfect and comfortable. Android also does a lot of things better than iOS, like individual volume controls and notifications, for example. But I am still primarily using my iPhone 14 Pro — despite Apple having some big flaws, such as overprocessing images after you capture them.