Google blocks RCS messaging on rooted Androids to prevent spam on platform

Google is blocking RCS messaging on rooted Android smartphones and on smartphones with bootloader unlocked. According to a report by Android Authority, Google said that the company has taken the step to prevent spam and abuse.

“Ensuring that message-issuing/receiving devices are following the operating measures defined by the RCS standard is one of the ways Google Messages prevent spam and abuse,” Google’s spokesperson said in his statement. “As we fight spammers and fraudsters, we take into account different indicators. A large volume of RCS spam comes from automation, which typically relies on modifications to the sending device,” he added.

What are rooted smartphones
Rooted smartphones provide users with control over Android system files, which allows them to edit and delete system files at will. This in turn gives users the ability to customise almost all aspects of the smartphone’s operating system (OS) and user interface (UI).

What is unlocked bootloader
Bootloader is the software responsible for loading the OS. Unlocking the bootloader gives users the permission to modify the OS or even install custom ROMs, which are essentially third-party versions of Android OS.

RCS on rooted and bootloader unlocked devices
According to the report, using the RCS messaging service on rooted devices does not show any error message. However, you cannot send an RCS message on the rooted or bootloader unlocked Android device. The messages sent with RCS turned on do not go through SMS/MMS fallback either, which Google said is default when RCS is not working. However, disabling RCS messaging allows users to send messages over SMS on rooted devices.

Google also does not allow Google Pay, banking, and other similar apps to work with rooted Android smartphones and bootloader unlocked phones.