Rich Communication Services (RCS) is set to replace SMS and revolutionize the messaging sector for companies. Thanks to multimedia content, higher security standards, and other advantages of RCS for companies, it represents an attractive way of communicating with customers. We explain more on the background of this standard in our blog article “What is RCS?”. However, a key question is: on which devices is RCS available? In this article, we explain what you need to know about using RCS on iPhones and Android devices, and generally about the technical requirements for different smartphones.
What is RCS Business Messaging?
RCS has many advantages in communication compared to SMS—for example, interactive messages with buttons and images can be sent and chatbots can be used for better customer service. Read receipts and displaying in real-time that the communication partner is currently typing increases interaction. RCS is also much more secure thanks to end-to-end encryption and sender verification. This is why many companies now use RCS for notifications as well as for targeted marketing campaigns.
RCS Android: Which devices are compatible?
Google has been offering RCS on Android devices for several years, and RCS is available on all Android smartphones with Android 6.0 or higher. On Android, RCS works via the Google Messages app (which is pre-installed on many devices), in which RCS can be activated in the settings. To do this, “RCS activated” must be selected on the slider in the app under “Settings and Chat” functions. Whether the service can ultimately be used also depends on whether the mobile operator uses RCS—if this is the case, “RCS activated” is displayed on the smartphones.
RCS iPhone: How does RCS work on Apple devices?
From iPhone X onwards and with the introduction of iOS 18, RCS is available on the iPhone which also improves the exchange of messages between iPhones and Android devices. RCS is currently available in eight countries: Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US. At the same time, iMessages will remain available and will continue to offer features such as high-resolution photos, videos, and links. Under iOS, RCS can also be activated in the settings—under “Apps/Messages” under “Text messages”—where there is a slider with which “RCS messages” can be switched on and off. If the switch is not displayed, the mobile phone provider does not yet support the standard. On Apple devices, RCS messages are displayed as green bubbles, just like messages from other non-Apple devices.
Conclusion: Which devices does RCS Business Messaging work on?
As RCS is now available for both Android and iOS and more and more mobile operators worldwide support the standard, it is worth using RCS Business Messaging. Companies should strategically combine RCS with other communication channels in order to reach the widest possible target groups.