Tech

Google’s Messages app for Android extends endpoint encryption to groups

The good news for users of Messages, Google’s basic messaging app for Android, is that end-to-end encryption is now available for group chats. Of course, this novelty, like end encryption, is only available through RCS (Rich Communication Services), the new generation protocol that replaces the old SMS and MMS.

It should be remembered in this regard that RCS is indeed the industry standard to replace SMS (Short Message Service or short message service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service or multimedia messaging service) in their original form, that is, it is a compatible protocol, as is the Google Messages app , but while that compatibility works backwards, it doesn’t.

In other words, Google Messages can handle traditional SMS and MMS messages, but they are not covered by features such as end-to-end encryption or client-side encryption that RCS provides. This one only works when both devices use the same technology i.e. RCS.

messages

For this reason, the progress that Google brings to its Messages app is important, the most used in its category and not only because it comes pre-installed on many Android devices, but also because the Google Play Store statistics indicate it. And although RCS is not a Google technology, but a standard proposed by the industry, the push of Google and Android give it relevance.

Thanks to RCS the Standalone mobile messaging, not tied to any specific appevolves with advanced features such as group chats, advanced multimedia functions, or endpoint encryption introduced experimentally in 2020 and rolled out to all app users a year later, now extended to the bulk of users and conversations .

The advance of RCS, in fact, only has one major obstacle to overcome, and that is Apple’s refusal to adopt it, as Google recalls. The reason for the position of those on the block is simple: not to lose control, for fear that an alternative would make a dent in their own messaging service, which they even refuse to bring to Android in the form of an application.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is clear: “Buy your mother an iPhone,” says the billionaire. Despite this, it seems that iMessage will arrive on Android sooner rather than later, much to the chagrin of the Cupertinos. We’ll see if in the future the regulators take action on the matter, which they might well do.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *