biggest hurdle after that is that it still sucks ass compared to e2ee IM apps, and no one uses SMS nowadays anyway, so we barely benefit from pre existing SMS users that would be able to seemslessly swap to RCS because SMS users don’t really exist, it basically has to face against the network effect of Whatsapp, Facebook messager, iMessage and WeChat, just like Signal has too [face the network effect] while being less secure than Signal and having less features
I think a source of confusion in this thread is that people in North America actually use SMS to communicate with other people, and in most of the rest of the world, that’s uncommon. I haven’t received an SMS from a human on my European phone number in over two years, and the last one was someone verifying my Signal safety number.
There’s a dominant messaging app in most other regions which everyone uses unless they’re a luddite or a free software absolutist. Whatsapp is the most common, but others are dominant in certain regions.
biggest hurdle after that is that it still sucks ass compared to e2ee IM apps, and no one uses SMS nowadays anyway, so we barely benefit from pre existing SMS users that would be able to seemslessly swap to RCS because SMS users don’t really exist, it basically has to face against the network effect of Whatsapp, Facebook messager, iMessage and WeChat, just like Signal has too [face the network effect] while being less secure than Signal and having less features
Everyone i know uses SMS/RCS or iMessages.
I only use SMS to msg my mum and get 2FA stuff.
You’re worried about the network disadvantages of only reaching people who have cell phones?!
I think a source of confusion in this thread is that people in North America actually use SMS to communicate with other people, and in most of the rest of the world, that’s uncommon. I haven’t received an SMS from a human on my European phone number in over two years, and the last one was someone verifying my Signal safety number.
There’s a dominant messaging app in most other regions which everyone uses unless they’re a luddite or a free software absolutist. Whatsapp is the most common, but others are dominant in certain regions.
no one should feel forced to have a phone number
Not remotely what I said.