Does it use end-to-end encryption: NOPE<p>Does it use IP and carrier as a fallback (to protect against data retention/archiving text messages): NOPE<p>Apple made it with first approach. Google:chat app, sms app, allo, duo, hangount<p>This will be next on the list.<p>Google can't make good message app - it's against their business model. You can't make targeted ads when you can't read user messages.
> Google's Anil Sabharwal told technology news site The Verge that "RCS continues to be a carrier-owned service", which means that messages can still be legally intercepted.<p>No thanks. We should push toward services which offer end-to-end encryption.
>To develop Chat, Google has worked with more than 50 mobile networks including Vodafone, T-Mobile and Verizon and manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and Huawei.<p>Why? This is a proposal for a protocol that works over the internet. What do networks and hardware makers have to do with this?<p>In practice the only entity they would have to talk to for a SMS replacement would be Apple. The world does not actually need a universal SMS replacement however. The world needs a universal instant message protocol that works everywhere; not just on phones.
I think this is really short-sighted. I’ve got 3 kids, and they message with bunch of their friends on tablets. Not phones connected to carriers - WiFi tablets. This isn’t uncommon either. Why require a cell carrier to back your messaging app? It’s just soooo limiting!
FYI this requires a data plan[1] which is going to be really frustrating for those using prepaid/gophone/low income cheap plans with out a contract.<p>[1] <a href="https://youtu.be/PCh-qRYMAKk?t=3m39s" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/PCh-qRYMAKk?t=3m39s</a>
Weird...<p><a href="https://support.google.com/chat/?hl=en" rel="nofollow">https://support.google.com/chat/?hl=en</a><p>"Goodbye Google Chat<p>Google Chat was officially shut down on June 26, 2017. To continue chatting and video calling, try Hangouts. Learn more about Hangouts.<p>Google Chat, the simple Google Talk chat experience in Gmail, launched in 2005. In 2013, we began replacing Google Chat with Hangouts, while still giving users the option to continue using Google Chat.<p>Hangouts offers advanced improvements over Google Chat such as group chat, Android and iOS apps, group video calling, and integration with other Google products."
How quaint. Is Google Fax still in late Beta and will be released next month?<p>But seriously - Is 'SMS replacement' even a thing now? I think I only ever chat to my wife via SMS these days because she won't install third party apps on her phone and has no social media accounts. All my friends, colleagues and kids send messages to each other via about 3 different chat apps depending on age (kids) and context.
Google Talk<p>Google Notebook<p>Google Reader<p>Google Buzz<p>Google Wave<p>Google Plus<p>Google Health<p>Google Knol<p>Google SearchWiki<p>Google Allo<p>I'm not really sure if I want to get onboard with this new thing.
Is the title misleading or am I confused? Google can only rollout its app on stock Android for Chat (known as RCS), the supposed successor to SMS that is (also) a carrier protocol that comes with the ubiquity and disadvantages of SMS. Google announced recently that it has worked with several telecom carriers around the world, Android OEMs, etc., on the implementation and rollout of RCS. But it's not the one that's going to be doing any rollouts by a large measure.
This is definitely going to work - it's just iMessage for Android. Google can deploy a default version of Chat in the next one or two Android releases. Users won't notice the difference except that SMS has some nicer features.<p>Google can snoop on Chats directly if the web service backing them is Google run. Even if they can't, a better default messaging experience will take business away from competitors like WhatsApp and Messenger.
Another piece in Google's mass surveillance business model.<p>An not even encrypted "on the surface" (as Facebook's WhatsApp):<p>> it does not offer encrypted messages<p>Not in this life.
Is this something that users will have to opt in to to use or will it be a seamless integration with existing applications? i.e., will it require the download of a new app or will it just be something that extends Android's existing messaging app?
Maybe Google's strategy is: get nice messaging into the market first as a fallback. Then we'll push Allo again and we can fall back to RCS...<p>The carriers shouldn't be involved in messaging at all, sigh. SMS was a downgrade from AIM and ICQ.
From all the articles I have read on this, it is never mentioned if this will be in AOSP or part of Google Play Services. I really hope they allow any app to use RCS messages instead of keeping it in their own walled garden.
Google's messaging strategy is starting to sound more and more like that XKCD [1]<p><pre><code> How Standards Proliferate
(See: A/C chargers, character encodings, instant messaging, etc.)
Situation:
There are 14 competing standards.
Cueball: 14?! Ridiculous! We need to develop one universal standard that covers everyone's use cases.
Ponytail: Yeah!
Soon:
Situation: There are 15 competing standards.
</code></pre>
[1] <a href="https://xkcd.com/927/" rel="nofollow">https://xkcd.com/927/</a>
It is so obvious that it will be a failure.<p>I know like 4 big Google projects and all seem to be failures (Kubernetes being the most successful, but still in hype so nobody realizes yet how mediocre it is). Right now it seems a good time to start working on a Google killer.
So this is Googles attempt to compete with Whatsapp but only on Andriod? I can't see my friendship groups segmenting in two depending on choice of mobile platform.<p>> However, it will be up to mobile operators to enable the service and it does not offer encrypted messages.<p>Yep this will kill it off in short order.
Relative to LINE/WhatsApp/Messenger/WeChat/Hangouts -- does anyone use SMS?<p>If big G really thinks it's going to "replace SMS" ( and they can leverage their platform to roll it out / lock in ) then good luck to them, maybe they <i>can</i> replace SMS.<p>But so what?<p>SMS was not the killer messaging app.<p>Those things are elsewhere.<p>Why does big G have an aversion to big acquisitions?<p>FB buys WhatsApp & IG -- Great moves<p>MS has made some big purchases<p>But the big G seems to purchase, but only for small dollar amounts (relatively). Same with Apple.<p>Even tho these two corps have (don't they?) big loads of cash.<p>I think it's technical arrogance. Big G and Apple are used to being revered as King S&&t of their tech.<p>So they think they can build it themselves. Ahahaha, sure, you can BUILD it...but can you get product/market fit to where it <i>matters</i> as a replacement?<p>I feel sorry for them. I think Big G and Apple obviously do great, but couldn't they do better to just narrow their focus. Even tho FB is f^&&d up in a lot of ways, one thing to really admire about their business is their narrow narrow focus. Even Oculus makes sense because Zuck sees a "Ready Player 1" world as the future ( with him as God Emperor, of course..heh ).
I know in Europe, most phone plans have limited SMS, so often Whatsapp is preferred which uses data or Wifi.<p>So if this uses Data, how will this be advantageous for US users who have plans with limited data, but unlimited SMS?