Google is testing end-to-end encrypted RCS (Rich Communication Services) group chats, which will be available to some users in the open beta program in the coming weeks.
The feature will keep one-on-one texts sent using Google Messages private and secure, viewed only by the sender and recipient of the message.
“The end-to-end encryption is starting to roll out for group chats and will be available to some users in the open beta program over the coming weeks,” Google said.
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According to reports, Google has been urging manufacturers and carriers to use RCS, a supercharged version of SMS that includes features such as typing indicators, delivery, and read receipts.
The tech giant said in a blog post that all major mobile carriers and manufacturers adopted RCS as the standard, except for Apple. “Apple refuses to adopt RCS and continues to rely on SMS when people with iPhones message people with Android phones, which means their texting is stuck in the 1990s,” Google said.
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