Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

Of note: Project FI has been plagued with short SMS issues for the past year. Some are reporting that this has been fixed, but does concern me if Google is going to get into this space.

I'm saying this as someone who is a Android advocate and developer.

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#5

Post by dschnurr » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:25 PM UTC

lgleason wrote: post #4

Of note: Project FI has been plagued with short SMS issues for the past year. Some are reporting that this has been fixed, but does concern me if Google is going to get into this space. I'm saying this as someone who is a Android advocate and developer.

Guessing they fixed it–I've been a Fi user for the past month and haven't noticed any issues, if anything it's been way faster and more reliable than VZW since it goes over wifi now.

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#6

Post by gonvaled » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:30 PM UTC

How does this relate / compete with Whatsapp?

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#7

Post by dheera » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:38 PM UTC

Ick. I wish we could kill SMS/Whatsapp/Wechat/LINE already and just do everything over e-mail or some other cross-platform, multi-login protocol.

I hate being tied up to one device to message people. I change devices on the order of minutes, move over the course of a day between a few locations that all have devices I own, and don't regularly carry or look at my cell phone if I am already staring at something bigger (e.g. tablet/laptop/desktop/TV).

I enjoy e-mail/FB/skype/et al.'s ability to freely switch devices, switch OSes and continue your conversations extremely smoothly without any barriers. I want information to move with me, not with a silly phone.

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#8

Post by arrty88 » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:39 PM UTC

Finally, disruption of the basic SMS system for all users on the protocol / carrier level.

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#9

Post by habosa » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:43 PM UTC

As a long-time SMS user, getting widespread RCS support is the biggest future mobile phone innovation I am looking forward to.

SMS is wonderful because you can send a message to any mobile phone user regardless of their nationality, operating system, hardware, carrier, etc. However it has a few major flaws: cost, speed, lack of group messaging, limited multimedia support.

The shortcomings of SMS have fueled the rise of IP messenger apps like WhatsApp, Line, WeChat, Hangouts, and iMessage. These all have the features we want, but their major flaw are arguably even more severe: total lock-in and lack of interoperability. Once you have a majority of your communication networks on one of those protocols, you become dependent on a single for-profit company for your communication. Look at what happens to iOS users trying to switch to Android: iMessage blocks their communication for months afterward.

RCS will give us all the benefits of iMessage or WhatsApp but without being locked in to a single company's network or having to get all of your friends/family to adopt one or the other.

Re: Google Jibe: Better carrier messaging for everyone

#10

Post by eximius » Mon, Feb 22, 2016, 4:45 PM UTC

Anybody have a good source on what the heck RCS is? I've never heard of it until now. I will google also, but I bet someone knows of an introduction they'd recommend.