Samsung has joined hands with Google toward providing their users with the next generation of messaging standards that will seamlessly integrate Samsung Messages and Android Messages into one. The move will incorporate the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol between the two messaging apps which will simplify the messaging situation that persists across Android.
The partnership will not only make Samsung and Android messages compatible with RCS technologies but also provide means for cloud and business messaging. If successful, this will bring fair competition to Apple’s iMessage which has its perks over the complicated messaging involved across Android phones.
As of now, Samsung and Google have added RCS to select Samsung device starting with the existing line of Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus phones. Newer Samsung phones will come with native support for RCS messaging, meaning users will be offered richer content when conversing with other Samsung Messages and Android Messages users.
Samsung has also stated that brands and developers who’re working toward newer RCS Business Messaging services using its own or Google’s Messaging-as-a-Platform (MaaP) service will be able to target both Samsung Messages and Android Messages users and thus bring a richer business messaging model to a larger userbase.
Speaking about the collaboration, Google product management Director, Sanaz Ahari said “Google and Samsung will ensure that our messaging clients, Android Messages and Samsung Messages, work seamlessly with each company’s RCS technology, including cloud and business messaging platforms. This collaboration will ensure that Android Messages and Samsung Messages will work seamlessly together and with RCS messaging, enabling features like the ability to chat over WiFi, create rich group chats, see typing indicators and read receipts, and share high-resolution photos and videos across platforms”.
Samsung’s Head of Product & Services Innovation Team, Patrick Chomet also commented by saying “At Samsung, we adhere to a model of open collaboration to bring premium experiences to our customers across products. By furthering our robust partnership with Google, we will bring a richer messaging experience to our customers, letting them seamlessly chat with their friends and family across messaging platforms. This collaboration will help further the industry’s momentum toward advanced messaging and global RCS coverage”.