Soon, Android users in India will see Apple’s blue chat bubble: Report

Apple is reportedly in discussions with Google to enable cross-platform Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging support in India. According to a report by The Economic Times, the partnership could allow Apple’s iMessage to integrate with RCS protocols, enhancing messaging capabilities between iOS and Android devices.

Apple has already rolled out peer-to-peer (P2P) RCS messaging in eight countries: the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, the UK, Belgium, and China. Except for China, where Google is not present, Apple’s iMessage client operates using Google’s backend servers, which are already part of carrier networks. The report suggests Apple may take a similar approach in India by integrating with Google, which has partnered with telecom operators Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio for RCS messaging.

However, Bharti Airtel has reportedly opted out of partnering with Google for RCS support due to concerns over spam. An Airtel executive told The Economic Times, “Until Google allows Airtel to identify spam messages using its proprietary tool, RCS will not be onboarded… since Google RCS is an OTT (over-the-top) service, it bypasses the Airtel intelligent solution much as all OTT services do.” Airtel has also urged telecom regulators to bring OTT messaging services under anti-spam regulations.

What is RCS messaging?

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an advanced messaging protocol developed by the GSM Association (GSMA) to enhance mobile messaging beyond traditional SMS. Unlike SMS and MMS, which rely on mobile carriers, RCS messages are transmitted over the internet, offering improved functionality and security

Key features of RCS include:

• Typing indicators: Displays when someone is typing.
• Read receipts: Shows when a message has been read or received.
• Internet-based messaging: Sends messages over mobile data or Wi-Fi.
• Enhanced media sharing: Allows users to send high-resolution images, videos, and files.

Apple’s potential adoption of RCS in India could improve interoperability between iPhone and Android users, offering a more seamless messaging experience across platforms.