With so many instant messengers available today that are essentially free and offer up much more functionality than SMS, it is a wonder that the communications protocol is still alive and well after all these years. However it seems that it could soon be going the way of the dinosaur thanks to Rich Communication Services, a new standard that could eventually replace SMS.The good news is that for those looking to test the technology, Google has announced that Sprint will be the first carrier in the US to take advantage of it. According to Google, “Together with Sprint, we’re launching RCS messaging to their customers using Android devices, starting today. This will bring enhanced features including group chat, high-res photo sharing, read receipts, and more to the standard messaging experience on Android.”
The company also adds, “Next year, all new Android devices from Sprint will come with Messenger for Android preloaded as the default SMS and RCS messaging experience.” However even better news is that if you are using select LG or Nexus phones from Sprint, you’ll be able to use the feature earlier thanks to an upcoming update.
While this is no doubt exciting, it will require other carriers in the US to take advantage of the feature for it to be truly useful, that is unless all the people you communicate with are on Sprint.