Ok so here’s my take: Apple implemented a secure messaging system in 2007 with iMessage. Then, in 2011 Google started to implement RCS, which then took several years for it to begin rolling out and being adopted.

Why doesn’t google push to adopt iMessage instead? It was implemented first and has been being constantly developed for 16 years and is certainly more well rounded than RCS.

Now, everyone is angry that Apple won’t switch to a standard that’s not fully supported by all android devices or carriers, that is potentially less secure, AND takes away a competitive advantage and calls that ‘holding back RCS? I’ve been hearing about RCS for some 10 god damn years, back before I switched to iOS and it’s still not fully adopted across domestic carriers.

Not to mention, I and many others are working to de-google our lives and I frankly don’t want my messaging going through google backends, even if they do assure me that it’s encrypted. If there’s one thing I know about Apple, it’s that they don’t share my data because it’s a competitive advantage not to. Google on the other hand seems to be happy to give it to anyone that wants it.

Though I do think it’s funny how your article talks about all the problems with RCS adoption lying with everyone (carriers namely) centering around Google’s implementation of it and then lands on ‘Apple is making it lucrative for 3rd party apps like WhatsApp’ as it’s summary for how Apple is holding back RCS. The article and the headline don’t match.

I’ll leave this here, not as a counter to yours, but as a more complete picture: https://www.androidpolice.com/google-rcs-messaging-feud-apple-imessage/

Ultimately, Google is as much at fault as Apple for RCS' low penetration. However, Apple's reluctance to support RCS for iMessage and using the latter as an ecosystem lock-in is bad for consumers.