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> Google used to run an open messaging service but shut it down as part of their failed attempt to compete with Facebook, and their current professed love of op
by chimeracoder 3y ago
> Google used to run an open messaging service but shut it down as part of their failed attempt to compete with Facebook, and their current professed love of open RCS hasn’t extended to allowing anyone else to use their implementation.
It's funny to read this criticism, when comments in another thread are criticizing Google for running an RCS implementation as a service for carriers.
RCS is an open standard, and Google does let others use it. However, other carriers didn't adopt it themselves, so Google set up a service that carriers can use and is running it themselves to ensure compatibility. There is no API for Android apps to use, yes, and that is a problem they should fix, but it's not exactly a self-serving decision, especially because it hampers Google's own products as well. The reason for the lack of the app API is likely because RCS hasn't been widely adopted enough to warrant it.
- rickdeckard 3y agoFully agree. Android also has APIs to register another RCS client to the OS. What's missing are open APIs for apps to control Google's RCS-client. Indeed this would be convenient, but considering the potential for misuse there, Google would probably need a separate certification process for each app, which is quite a scale for something that didn't scale yet... A own RCS-client still requires accreditation to ensure interoperability with the RCS-service. API-access to Google's client would either require accreditation of the app using the client, or would need to be limited so dramatically that it's probably of no use...
- acdha 3y agoI was mostly referring to the way their E2EE key server is client locked. RCS is open but you’ll have a poor experience unless you only use Google’s own app.