Need a better sms app

[steffi]

try yaata, its small size app and very customizable

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I

As to RCS, it is my understanding that RCS allows us Android folk to receive decent pictures now from the Iphone crowd (ie. my whole family). Correct

RCS allows Android phones to send and receive larger file text messages to other android phones using RCS messaging, which currently only is Google messages. There's beeper, but that just feeds off of Google messages. Apple allowed RCS to work with iMessage this year, but requires the iPhone user to upgrade and turn RCS on. Apple didn't make it easy for it to work as they were basically forced to allow it. Google has problems in this area also, if the Android user isn't using Google messages then RCS isn't present and won't work with iPhone iMessage. Google needs to force RCS on all the text messaging apps available to Android users, or force Google messages only on Android phones. Apple is so much further advanced in the text messaging department in part to that iMessage is the only texting app allowed. With that said, the United States is one of the few countries that use built in texting apps as primary texting which creates that limitation between Android pictures and iPhones. Most the world use WhatsApp so there is no limitation, but over here to many love the Apple ecosystem and won't leave iMessage, which I can say iMessage is better then Google messages. I know, I'll be shamed for saying that. iMessage is about the only thing I miss from the iPhone. I would pay a monthly fee to use iMessage on my android phone. Apple should capitalize on Android phones and put the app in the play store and charge a couple bucks month subscription fee.

Textra is a awesome texting app, I used it for a long time. Without RCS, tablet and watch support I'm forced to use Google messages. I use Beeper mainly, it just ties in to Google messages. I know texting apps can tie into Google messages, so Textra should be able to like Beeper. I doubt Textra will ever get watch and tablet support though.

 

[Mooncatt]

And so it begins, the not so gentle push by Verizon to make us abandon the app.

Messages+ got an update yesterday and would not let me use the app unless I did so. After I updated, it turned Glympse on, covering half the screen with a Google map that I don't want. Even after turning all Glympse related settings off, I've still had it pop up when looking at a conversation.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

Google’s RCS Nightmare—Why You Need A New App

It’s all suddenly gone wrong for Google Messages—here’s what you need to do.

www.forbes.com

Google might have messed around to much, being more concerned with stickers, how the check marks are displayed for sent, delivered, and read in the bubbles. Maybe they should have concentrated end to end encryption between iMessage and Google RCS. Apple is releasing a update that will allow their users to use Whatsapp as the default messenger in light of the China breach. Not good timing for Google's RCS.

 

[mustang7757]

Google’s RCS Nightmare—Why You Need A New App

It’s all suddenly gone wrong for Google Messages—here’s what you need to do.

www.forbes.com

Google might have messed around to much, being more concerned with stickers, how the check marks are displayed for sent, delivered, and read in the bubbles. Maybe they should have concentrated end to end encryption between iMessage and Google RCS. Apple is releasing a update that will allow their users to use Whatsapp as the default messenger in light of the China breach. Not good timing for Google's RCS.

It was a long process for Google to get Apple to accept RCS (that's a win) now they have to keep working to encrypt it , baby steps and I'm sure Apple is not making it easy, still end to end encrypted between Android's.

 

[notforhire]

It was a long process for Google to get Apple to accept RCS (that's a win) now they have to keep working to encrypt it , baby steps and I'm sure Apple is not making it easy, still end to end encrypted between Android's.

yes, encrypted is a wonderful goal. of all the message threads I have going, both Android and iPhone, maybe 30% are encrypted/RCS. I have zero control over the messaging app other people use/choose, or whether they update the OS on their phones. currently, it's one big game of pin the tail on the donkey. if Google's attention span could last longer than that of a 4-year-old, we might be further down the road across all of Android.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

It was a long process for Google to get Apple to accept RCS (that's a win) now they have to keep working to encrypt it , baby steps and I'm sure Apple is not making it easy, still end to end encrypted between Android's.

I'm positive Apple isn't making it easy. Encrypted at both ends should have been a priority from day one and done before release, but both sides are concerned with new stickers, placement of the check marks for read reports and so on. That's my frustration, we finally get to the stage of Google messages and iMessages working together and all those new stickers aren't going to do a thing for the important stuff. Neither Google or Apple have put encryption to priority but new stickers remain priority. Just frustrating, I'm worried Apple will close the RCS up.

I'm not sure I understand what Apple is doing, but it appears they are opening iMessage up to have WhatsApp or signal to be the operating system if the user wants it. Is that your understanding? If so, won't that be a death sentence for RCS, and won't it create more divide in unified text messaging? At this rate, I wish everyone would just go to Whatsapp like most the rest of the world. If Apple is opening up to Whatsapp or signal IMO I think that's apples away to say bye bye to RCS, thoughts?

There's already a mess in iMessage and RCS working together. Apple users have to update and turn RCS on, which a lot aren't, and Google users have to all be using Google messages or beeper for RCS to work, which a lot aren't. So until Apple forces RCS compatibility on all the iPhones and Google forces RCS on all texting apps on Android phones we really are still divided, it's not much different now then before trying to convince others to use WhatsApp or something like that for unified messaging. I would be more them happy to subscribe to a Android version of iMessages.

Edit.. iMessage is the only thing that makes me want to go back to iPhone. If Apple did one thing right it's, iMessage IMO.