Text messaging remains one of the greatest forms of communication. Whether it is between friends or colleagues from work, it is quick, precise, and you can do it on the go, riding on the bus, at lunch, or walking down the street. With something so popular, you can bet that there are many companies out there designing SMS messaging apps, with Chomp SMS, EvolveSMS, GO SMS Pro, Handcent Next SMS, being just a few examples. Of course, then there is also Google’s own answer…Google Messenger. With each version of the Android OS, the latest being Android 7.0 Nougat, Google Messenger gets even better.
The latest Google Messenger update brings RCS (Rich Communications Services) to its messaging services, which go beyond the simple voice and SMS messages. This platform provides users with instant messaging or chat, one-to-one chats, group chats and live video, as well as the ability for file sharing (photos, files, and locations), reading receipts, the capacity to see the other person typing and cross-device support on any network using data or Wi-Fi.
This is one of the reasons that Rogers is “excited to announce” that they have teamed up with Goggle and will be the first Canadian telecom to bring their customers the upgraded RCS Google Messenger. Starting today, you can download the app in the Google Play Store, but in the future, Rogers will include the Messenger for Android, as their default message app. In the coming weeks, Rogers will also be rolling out the enhanced features to both Rogers and Fido customers, and you will be notified when the enhanced features are working. No other announcements were made indicating if or when any other Canadian carrier would start handling Google Messenger.
Google is pushing Messenger around the globe, in the US, some European carriers, and Canada. It really could be the closest thing to iMessage for the Android world. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is hoping that Apple users of iMessage will eventually be able to communicate directly with Android users on Messenger and visa verse. Messaging is an example of what might be possible in the future where everyone can communicate with each other, regardless of what platform they are using.