Rich Communication Services (RCS) has long been hailed as Android’s answer to Apple’s iMessage. But we have yet to see all the devices and carriers implement this and so we’re not yet seeing its full potential. The Your Phone app from Microsoft has been around for a couple of years and it is now bringing RCS messaging support. The catch is that they will be using the Link to Windows partnership with Samsung so only the Galaxy S20 series will be able to enjoy it, hopefully just for now.
Roberto Bojorquez, the Microsoft Group Program Manager for Your Phone, tweeted out the good news that they have partnered with Samsung Messages to bring RCS messaging support to the Your Phone app. This means you will be able to send and receive RCS messages from your Windows 10 computer if the default SMS app is Samsung Messages. This means you can keep your phone out of reach and just read and respond to RCS from your computer.
Proud to announce that we have partnered with the Samsung Messages team to bring RCS messaging support to #yourphone app via #linktowindows. Starting with the #galaxys20series you will be able to send and receive RCS texts from PC if your default SMS app is Samsung Messages!
— Roberto Bojorquez [Microsoft] (@bojorchess) February 15, 2020
But there are limitations to this feature for now. For one thing, the only phones that will support this feature are the recently introduced Samsung Galaxy S20 series. The other is that your phone’s default SMS app should still be Samsung Messages. So if you’re already used to Android Messages, you’ll have to switch back to your phone’s default SMS app to be able to send and receive RCS on your computer.
RCS brings a lot of great features to your SMS life, acting more like your other messaging apps rather than just the simple SMS messaging you’re used to now. You’ll be able to use features like typing indicators, read receipts, notifications from flights and reservations and brands, and other things that will enhance your SMS experience. So switching from Android Messages to Samsung Messages should be worth it.
There was no mention of a timeline on when the feature will roll out. But it will probably be when the Galaxy S20 series will be officially out in the market or just a little after that.
