While Google is doing its part to standardize RCS (Rich Communication Services) across U.S. carriers by partnering with them to load smartphones with Messenger for the default SMS app, beginning with Sprint, Samsung is also working to improve and strengthen its RCS technology by acquiring NewNet, a company who specializes in RCS infrastructure for business to business. Samsung announced the news today on their blog that NewNet will now be a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Canada, stating that in addition to “accelerating the deployment of RCS networks” their acquisition will also benefit mobile operators who don’t already have an RCS infrastructure of their own in place.
Samsung does not mention whether or not they plan to use this technology to build their own standard of RCS or work it into the fold of another standard that is already set up, but it’s entirely possible that they plan to use NewNet’s technology to build their own standard, and if that ends up being the case then future Samsung smartphones will likely incorporate this standard into the stock messaging app. While this should help to further the advancement of RCS across providers, if Samsung uses NewNet for their own standard alongside all the others that already exist, it also opens up potential for simply increasing the challenges that are currently facing RCS technology, which more or less breaks down to there not being an industry standard.
The issue with this is that it causes a lack of support for the features that come along with RCS when communicating between providers, because providers all have their own standards which prevents RCS from working across providers. The benefits of RCS can be seen in things like being able to see when someone else is typing back a response to a text, as well as having read receipts so you know when someone has read that text. Samsung mentions that although they are acquiring NewNet, the company will be continuing to operate independently, and that the NewNet’s current leadership will remain in place to run operations. NewNet will also stay based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.