RCS Chat?

[Pednick]

I noticed Textra which is a 3rd party app now uses RCS Chat. I found this link that looks interesting that might help intergrate it into GS Connect:
https://github.com/android-rcs/rcsjta

Maybe this will help.

[Pednick]

Here's another link that might help:
https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/services/Telephony/+/master/testapps/TestRcsApp/

[Christopher-Hayes]

RCS support would be amazing.

---

EDIT: After looking into this more. It seems RCS support in GSConnect/KDE Connect would be extremely unlikely.

At the moment, I cannot find a single open-source app that implements RCS, despite it being around for ~10 years. RCS support still seems limited in Europe (at the telecom operator level), so an implementation that dynamically handles RCS and non-RCS operators seems too much complexity for KDE Connect to add.

I found a Rust implementation, have not tested it. From the docs it seems that Root is required on the Android side.

Experimental rust client: https://github.com/Hirohumi/rust-rcs-client
Demo app for the rust client above: https://github.com/Hirohumi/RustyRcs

Root being required seems to be a major reason why this "Open standard" is not usable by (almost) all messaging apps on Android.

The only non-Google apps I see that support RCS are Samsung Messages and MEI. Neither are open-source. Samsung partnered with Google 5 years back to offer better RCS support.

In fact, RCS support is almost non-existent on the Google Play Store, it's really just Google Messages that has it.

Further reading: https://forum.f-droid.org/t/rcs-supported-message-sms-mms-app/13423/24

---

EDIT 2: I just realized I missed the bit about Textra supporting RCS.

@Pednick are you sure about Textra having RCS support? I checked their website and it says:

Does Textra support RCS?

The RCS interfaces (APIs) on Android are currently only available for Google internally to use, no other third party developer has access.

We are hopeful Google will make these RCS interfaces available in the near future to all developers (in the spirit of Android open source), so that Textra SMS can also offer RCS functionality.

Looking through the r/textra subreddit, there's a number of threads about RCS, and all of them say the same—Textra does not support RCS because Google does not open it up to other apps

---

EDIT 3: One of the potential blockers appears to be that your RCS app needs GSMA accreditation to be allowed to interact with RCS operators. (Keep in mind Google has their own, totally custom, RCS backend called Google Jibe that does this.)

I expect doing an accreditation process for your app with GSMA is exceedingly expensive for an open-source developer.

GSMA does have a list of accredited RCS clients, and there are actually quite a few—about 50. But, this document is from 2020, and I cannot find a newer doc: https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/networks/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Lists-of-current-accreditations-for-RCS-client-manufacturers-clientsv13.pdf

Some of the clients from that list:

LG RCS Client, Summit RCS Client, Juphoon RCS Client, WIT Mobile Communicator, Unikie Messaging, Samsung UP Client, Google Messages, Samsung CPR Client

Another RCS demo (from 11 years ago): https://github.com/DoubangoTelecom/boghe

[Christopher-Hayes]

https://sugggest.com/compare/textra-vs-google-messages

I've tried textra myself and it does have RCS Chat.

How can you tell it's RCS?

I don't see Textra anywhere saying they support RCS, the website you linked is an ai-generated article. If you go to Textra's feedback page, "RCS Support" has like 50 separate feature requests.

I went ahead and downloaded their app, turned off my SIM and tried to send an RCS message to a contact that I know has RCS on Google Messages, and the message never was sent. I also don't see RCS mentioned anywhere in the app settings.

[Christopher-Hayes]

Well me and I would assume a substantial portion of our users don't have google services on our phones so that website does nothing. Not that our SMS functionality is amazing either, but I wouldn't want to advertise a google-only functionality that would be already known to google-users and annoying to others.

I'd agree. While the SMS impementation is limited, I'm trying to avoid using Google stuff on Graphene. Searching around, GSConnect still seems to be recommended for texting from a computer.

If there was a clear Linux app that was very capable and stable, GSConnect removing SMS would not be a big deal. But, it doesn't feel like we have a good Linux SMS app yet.

[Pednick]

You need to use it through wifi. Most pages are outdated.

[Christopher-Hayes]

Contrary to what Textra — whoever they are — claim (and, y'know, they're obviously VERY biased), it's actually pretty damn good. You get all the features of the Messages app, but in your desktop browser. There's almost no reason not to use it.

Is the privacy side of Textra sound? When I was testing Play Store apps that supposedly supported RCS, I tested "Smart Messages", it was wild seeing how they basically use all your messages to both train models and serve ads.

[Christopher-Hayes]

You need to use it through wifi. Most pages are outdated.

That's how I was testing it. In Graphene I could disable my SIM and leave Wifi on.

[Pednick]

I myself use scrcpy for messaging, it's software that mirrors your phone on your PC.
I use GS Connect and KDE Connect just for the easy transfer of file, videos, etc... from my phone to PC and vice versa.

[Christopher-Hayes]

Ah interesting, is that doable over wifi? I've used scrcpy with USB for debugging, but never considered using it for casual texting.

[Pednick]

Yes, I'm using it through wifi. Here's a script someone made to make it easier to setup:
https://github.com/C8forT/ScrcpyWiFi

[Christopher-Hayes]

Cool, ty

[Pednick]

You're welcome. :)