Google is testing end-to-end encryption of RCS messages in group chats Messages

Google is starting to test end-to-end encryption for RCS messages in the Android version of Messages. The test will be made available to a small group of Messages beta program participants in the coming weeks.

Testing end-to-end encryption in Messages group chats was announced on Friday. It is not yet known when the function will be available to all users. End-to-end encryption for one-on-one conversations has been available since last year. In addition, Google says it is working on the ability to use all emojis in response to a message.

Furthermore, Google writes about the benefits of RCS and emphasizes that ‘all major mobile carriers and manufacturers have adopted RCS as standard, except Apple’. Google has been trying to convince Apple to adopt RCS as a standard for some time, but so far this has not been successful. Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted during an interview in September that Apple will not support the messaging standard on iPhones.

RCS, short for rich communication services, is seen as the successor to SMS. RCS makes it possible to send messages over the internet, with additional features similar to other chat apps. For example, users can make video calls, receive read receipts and send images via RCS. In 2020, Google’s implementation of RCS through the Messages app became available globally.