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this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2024
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I'm glad Google is exposing how crappy RCS is.
It's been fifteen years, and all they have is a "protocol" that's still completely dependant on a phone number.
What good is that? Why would I want that?
There are numerous systems that don't rely on a phone number, e.g. XMPP did everything RCS is trying to do, in 2010 (I ran it on my phone then, with a desktop client that kept in sync).
Teleguard works on every platform, no phone number required, as does MATRIX, Simplex, Wire, Threema, etc, etc.
Not to mention the issues people have with it. It's unreliable.
RCS is not another chat app.
It's the NEW SMS. That is why it is so important, and that is why it works ONLY IF YOU HAVE A PHONE. Because that's literally the point.
Having your mom, grandpa, and everyone automatically use encrypted, modern comnunication just because they have a phone is extremely important.
Realise that in places where SMS has been historically free, SMS is the standard.
XMPP, Matrix or whatever will obviously still have its place for more "incognito" conversations. But having a phone number should also give you access to a better alternative than SMS.
as I understand a phone number "gives you access to" RCS as much as it does to Signal. at that point it's just about what was pre-installed
RCS is supposed to be a distributed protocol, just like SMS, but using data. It is not the same as Signal. Tho, currently, Google is the main provider for almost all phone companies.