requires RCS, which cannot be used by anything other than Google messages and not on AOSP, so therefore useless.

Finally, texts between Android and iPhone users can be end-to-end encrypted

article writer just found out about Signal

Signal doesn't send messages via your carrier, like a "text".

I wouldn't say useless, there are a lot of users who aren't tech savvy enough to understand why this might be an issue.

Useless because its a closed black box that may or may not have a back door. You will never know unless we get a source code leak or you get hired at G.

That's true, but it's true for a lot of things, and I prefer small steps into the right direction over none at all.

RCS is so backwards it's not a step in the right direction.

It's hardware bound - which tells me they want definite tracking capability.

Here in the rest of the world that doesn't use miles for distances, having to use than your phone's SMS/RCS app (that goes through your carrier) has been a norm for quite a while.You can clearly tell that this is news mostly for the US audience (who also uses stuff like voicemail instead of calling again - who the hell even listens to their voicemails?).

IDK why anyone is salty about your comment, dumb af everyone is using Viber in many countries, actually shit I think they moved on from it to a new one, point stands, idk we got our own domestic shit here now. Don't necessarily need FOSS entirely bc our ass is not owned by Jeffrey Epstein.

If you're able to use AOSP, I'm sure you can find methods of encrypted communication