New warning for billions of Google Messages customers
gettyRepublished on December 7 as Samsung ditches RCS for hundreds of thousands of its US customers.
Suddenly, it has all gone unsuitable for Google Messages. After campaigning for years to see the conclusion of its “seamless messaging” dream, no sooner was it right here than it was gone. The query now could be whether or not there’s any probability it should ever come again.
Rather like a sluggish movement practice crash, whereas Apple’s long-awaited adoption of RCS was rapidly celebrated by Google, no sooner had it launched than it was being criticized for its awkward safety vulnerability—regardless of iMessage consistently lauding its end-to-end encryption, these inexperienced bubbles proceed to do with out.
Google and the GSMA have been quick to reply, promising end-to-end encryption for RCS is now within the works. But whereas which may have carried the day, alongside comes China to spoil the get together. Its state-backed hackers, it appears, have damaged into US telco networks, underlying the very motive Apple, Google and others insist on end-to-end encryption within the first place. With the FBI and CISA now each warning residents to make use of responsibly encrypted platforms, cross-platform RCS has taken an enormous hit. Even Samsung has warned customers that texting Android to iPhone lacks safety.
Apple has by no means made any secret of the truth that iMessage is barely safe inside its personal walled backyard. It was Google pushing for cross-platform RCS, not Apple. And when it lastly launched with iOS 18, Google put out the general public messaging on non-blurry pictures and different new options, Apple didn’t say a lot if something in any respect.
And so its Google Messages that a lot now decide up the items of this safety nightmare and work out what it does subsequent. How quick can RCS be upgraded to satisfy the responsibly encrypted bar set by these US authorities officers? How does Google or Apple push customers to ship fundamental RCS/SMS texts towards the backdrop of these authorities warnings? How rapidly will community confidence return?
But with timing being every little thing, the ultimate concrete block standing in the best way of that RCS practice could be Apple’s imminent iPhone replace—iOS 18.2. Much to everybody’s shock, the iMaker has determined to supply all its customers—not simply these in regulated Europe–the choice to alter their default apps. That means deciding on an over-the-tops like WhatsApp or Signal for default calls and messages for the primary time.
If the 2024 RCS dream has taken successful, whether or not or not it has been holed beneath the waterline stays to be seen. What is evident is that this performs into the arms of Meta, which owns the world’s largest end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms—WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, even when they’re not “responsibly” encrypted per the FBI’s time period, which means lawful entry to content material when warranted.
For Google Messages customers defaulting to that platform when texting buddies, household and colleagues, you now want a brand new app. If you don’t have WhatsApp or Messenger or Signal, then you must set up one now. The decide of the bunch is WhatsApp, which finds the precise steadiness between safety, performance and scale. You’ll discover most individuals you message will have already got the app put in.
Keeping with the safety theme, to make sure the integrity of end-to-end encryption, it’s good to do two issues. First, arrange WhatsApp (or another) correctly. That means two-factor authentication and passkeys when obtainable. Second, make sure you don’t take dangers with hyperlinks, downloads and app installs. Whatever messenger you employ, if an attacker takes management of your cellphone by malware or luring you to put in a malicious app, it’s as in case you haven’t secured your content material in any respect.
The irony has continued for Google, with the information that Samsung is ditching RCS for hundreds of thousands of its Galaxy customers nonetheless utilizing Samsung Messages and recommending they change to Google Messages. The Galaxy maker warned Verizon customers that “Samsung Messages will now not help RCS after 1.6.2025. Switch to Google Messages to keep up the extra strong messaging you are used to.”
As Neowin reviews, “this announcement confirms that Verizon customers counting on RCS by Samsung Messages might want to change to Google Messages to maintain superior options like learn receipts, typing indicators, and high-quality media sharing. Regular SMS and MMS will nonetheless work, however the enhanced expertise is tied to RCS.
Samsung has been backing away from its personal Messages app and pushing customers to Google Messages for some months, which was seen as one of many final steps within the consolidation of inventory messaging throughout the Android ecosystem on a single app. Add Apple’s adoption of RCS into the combination, and it did appear that every one the planets have been aligning for Google on the dual challenges of presenting a seeming iMessage equal for Android and likewise a seamless messaging expertise into iMessage to entice Android customers away from WhatsApp.
As Android Police defined within the fall, “Samsung switched to Google Messages in favor of its messaging app with the Galaxy S21 sequence in Europe again in 2021. Since then, the corporate has slowly transitioned customers from Samsung Messages to Google Messages. The latter is the de-facto RCS messaging app for Android, with Google consistently enhancing it with options like Gemini integration and full-screen results.” At that point house owners of older Galaxy units have been additionally seeing prompts to modify.
Now, although, that doesn’t minimize it anymore—a minimum of not when messaging cross-platform. There hasn’t been any actual response from encrypted platforms to the FBI and CISA warnings final week, however we will probably anticipate reminders out of WhatsApp that customers who haven’t switched ought to consider doing so now.
