[dimator]

> It's not artificial. SMS is terrible on its own, and that's none of Apple's fault. It's not like Android users are getting together and happily having SMS/RCS group chats.

What? RCS is a real thing that works between Android users. It is Apple's choice to not support (or contribute to it or improve the standard) it because it locks people in and creates a very cozy, very real in-group sentiment.

[harkinian]

RCS doesn't work well in practice. Android group chats happen on WhatsApp, not on RCS.

[sircastor]

I think the problem is uniformity in social groups. Everyone who has an iPhone gets iMessage and it's a seamless experience because it's the messaging app you have on the phone. Google was so poorly organized over its messaging solution that it couldn't push anything by default. Even if your social group is made up of a bunch of Android users, they all have the messaging app they want to use: WhatsApp, Hangouts, Telegram, Signal, etc. Very few people are willing to change because they have their own network of people who have decided on their preference.

RCS is a good idea (sort of), but it's too late. I suspect that Apple moving to Support RCS will make very little difference in terms of messaging solutions, when all is said and done.

[johnnyanmac]

>Very few people are willing to change because they have their own network of people who have decided on their preference.

This sounds radical, but: why can't people just use multiple apps? That was the whole marketing scheme for smartphones and yet we decide to corral back into the same little gates as 20 years ago. I have Whatsapp, Discord, regular messages, facebook messages, and probably 3 other stupid abandoned Senior Engineer Google promotion fodder on my phone. Hell, I'll answer of LinkedIn if you so incline. it's not like they don't all just flow onto my notification bar anyway.

And I guess since it's an inevitable question: I'm a 30YO single male. of course I don't have large friend group chats; We barely have friends that aren't busy with their SO's. on the one off per year we need to coordinate we'll pick and choose a platform.

[harkinian]

People do use multiple apps, but everyone in a single group chat has to be using the same app.

[Drew_]

RCS works pretty well and no, my Android group chats don't happen on WhatsApp.

[Dah00n]

What? Even my old mom uses RCS with zero problems. It is a solved problem and Apple is dragging their feet exactly because of this.

[harkinian]

Does your old mom use RCS in large group chats?

[Dah00n]

Size isn't the issue, but she does use it yes. With friends scattered throughout Europe.

[harkinian]

Size is an issue, because with more people in a chat, there's an exponentially higher chance that someone doesn't have RCS or has some issue with it.