[lxgr]

I wonder how Google would actually implement that, given that "Google Messages", as far as I can tell, isn't really a "platform" (as stated in the linked article) but rather a client for RCS, which needs mobile operator support to work on Android, and to my knowledge does not work at all on iOS.

[cpach]

Link in case anyone else is curious about RCS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Communication_Services

[phh]

Yeah no. Google Messages (almost) always go through Google services, not carriers. They are definitely their own platform.

[inquirerGeneral]

That's a vast oversimplification and is not really telling the whole story