I have an S23 thats on the latest update. I have been using a third party texting app called Textra, for years now with no issues. Just last week, some of my friends have been trying to send me links but they just don’t go through anymore. It can be any link, Google maps, youtube, Amazon link etc. I also found out that my friends started a group chat with me, but I never received any of the messages. My friends are mostly iphone but some use android also. I found out that if I enable Google messages as my default, everything works fine. And after I enabled Google Messages as my default, the group chats came through in Textra, but the address was an email address
d4vtcnzrhezdkmrrhe4dqh2gifbucqkcgjas2n2giq4s2nbtgmzc2obvizcc2rjqimzumqkggrcukmkf@rcs.google.com
Is this an issue between RCS and SMS? Am I forced to use Google Messages now? I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled Textra and I installed a different third party messenger and no change.
Apple has started using RCS now and Google restricts RCS to the Google Messages app, I imagine that is the problem.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/05/end-to-end-encrypted-rcs-messaging-begins-rolling-out-today-in-beta/You could try disabling RCS in Google Messages and then switch back to Textra, but I’m not certain that helps.
I thought android was supposed to be more open and less restrictive…
I don’t think its an Android issue, its an Apple issue. One that Apple defects have been dealing with since the beginning of iMessage. When you leave iMessage, Apple continues hijacking your messages from other stupid iMessage users to your iMessage account (which you’re no longer using). You would have to log into your Apple account and disable it. And now this appox is spreading into Android. Only there’s no way to disable it, because you don’t even have an Apple account!
This isn’t about restrictiveness - it’s a problem of RCS being ass-backwards garbage.
This isn’t a an Android issue, it’s a Google and cell provider issue. And that RCS (like SMS), are based on ancient technology/concepts, and both need to just die.
SMS is based on the physical architecture of cellular networks, and has no error handling whatsoever - it’s a Best Effort transmission.
RCS uses a hardware-bound ID, something we decided was a Bad Idea 40 years ago, and is wholly dependent on cell provider support.
We have a protocol, TCP-IP, that eliminates all these issues. It’s been the networking standard since the mid-90’s when even Netware decided it was a superior solution to IPX/SPX. It’s wholly hardware independent (it’s not tied to a physical device’s ID), so you can transmit/receive from any device without having to update everyone else that this is your new device.
We have numerous IP-based instant messaging systems today, with one in particular (XMPP) being open, flexible, extensible.
There’s no use for an archaic solution like RCS, except keeping your messaging in a system controlled by Google and carriers.
Interesting, if I switched to a program that uses XMPP, would it work with my friends who are using RCS and SMS? Or could I only use it with friends that use it as XMPP as well?
EDIT: XMPP is an internet based protocol right? And doesn’t use cell towers like regular calling or texting right?
EDIT: XMPP is an internet based protocol right? And doesn’t use cell towers like regular calling or texting right?
Like most apps an app using XMPP will prefer wifi over cellular traffic unless you’ve changed your settings, yes.
I think Conversations is one of the more common ones to use.
There’s an install guide and more info hereI already had the Fdroid store installed and made an account on the app. Unfortunately, it looks like it only works with other ppl who have an XMPP account. There’s no way I’ll be able to convince my friends to switch to a different messaging app so I’m stuck with regular RCS for now. Thanks for the info.
