Google is silently blocking RCS on rooted Android phones and custom ROMs (Update)
www.androidauthority.com
Google famously campaigned for Apple to "get the message" and use RCS, but now doesn't let rooted Android users use RCS.

TL;DR

  • Users who have rooted their phone, have their bootloader unlocked or are using some custom ROMs report that their RCS messages are not being sent, even though RCS shows them as connected.
  • The Google Messages app does not show any error messages when blocking RCS messages of these users and does not send the messages out as SMS or MMS either.
  • Google famously campaigned for Apple to include RCS messaging in iMessage but is now blocking it for certain Android users.
  • gayhitler420English
    2·
    4 months ago

    If you use googles rcs server you get e2ee.

    The benefit of rcs as opposed to sms is that your messages can be encrypted (only if you use googles rcs server), and you can do all the multimedia stuff that sms can’t.

    I said the thing about encryption twice because it’s a big deal. Used to be cops could deploy a stingray with just pc. They can still very easily get warrants to compel cell network operators to comply with a wiretap order. The cia can slurp up and categorize all the domestic communications they like with mass surveillance techniques without any judicial oversight as long as it’s related to a non-citizen. The database they created can be accessed by domestic law enforcement and spying agencies and used against citizens via sec. 702. Encrypted texts are the bare minimum required to bypass even part of this panopticon.

    Rcs does suck. If you can’t switch to ios, use whatever it takes to get it to work consistently. You would rather have ads beamed into your frontal lobe 24/7 than be warrantlessly wiretapped by every cop in the world.