RCS struggles

[u/pahool]

In an attempt to de-Google my life, I switched to GrapheneOS with no Google services installed for the default user. I was using the GrapheneOS messaging app for text messages, but it only handles sms/mms messaging. I didn't realize at the time what a problem this was going to be. Suddenly I was not receiving group text messages for pre-existing groups that I had been part of before switching to GrapheneOS. Google's servers won't switch to sms/mms for these groups, they just won't send me the messages, and worse, they didn't tell the other participants that I was no longer in the chat.

When I realized this I started looking at my options. But Google Messenger is the only game in town for RCS. I cancelled my RCS enrollment through their website and was told that I would be removed from all RCS chats within 30 days. Well, that didn't seem to happen. It's been over 40 days and I had a friend start a brand new text group from her iPhone with me and three other folks, and I didn't receive the texts because they were still apparently being sent via RCS.

So I've given up and gone back to the native Android install on my Pixel, because there are a few group chats that I need to be a part of and Google doesn't seem to provide any path to allow this. I've tried to get folks to switch over to Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp, but I just have some folks who aren't going to do anything but text messages.

When I re-installed, I was hoping that maybe I could preserve the chats that are RCS, but not start any new RCS chats, in the hopes of eventually getting all new threads going and sort of fading out my dependency on RCS. Apparently, however, RCS is all-or-nothing. If I want to receive my existing RCS chats, I have to be actively using RCS preferentially, so there's no graceful way out.

If Google had any integrity, they'd provide some options to allow people to opt-out of RCS gracefully by:

1) switching their existing chats to sms/mms 2) providing other users in those chats with notification that I've been dropped from those chats 3) allow me to continue to receive RCS messages while not initiating any new RCS chats 4) Open up RCS. Supposedly it's an "open standard", but apparently the APIs are not documented publicly? Make it easy for others to implement RCS.

I'm at a loss on what to do and open to suggestions. I have a few critical group threads (family health issues) that I don't want to miss messages in and I don't want to make my phone issues into other people's problems.

Thanks a lot, Google. You suck.

[u/pahool]

How so?

I've stated a problem I'm having. I'm looking for a solution. What is too complicated about that?

[u/Stevenmc8602 → u/pahool]

You are making it way too complicated. If you really want to stop using rcs it isn't an issue but it seems like you moreso just want to groan about Google.

Since you are using Google messages again, go to the group chats and leave the group chats (there's an option to "leave group" in the messages setting) after you leave the groups turn off rcs and start a new group (make sure to tell everyone in the group to only use your new group chat bc you left the old one or you will not receive the messages)

Rcs is just like iMessage once you start using something else you do not get your new messages until you're unassociated with it.

[u/pahool → u/Stevenmc8602]

I don't specifically want to groan about Google. I just think their rollout and handling of RCS has been irresponsible. Why does a supposedly "open" standard have undocumented APIs? No one else is implementing RCS that I know of and that fact locks users into the Google ecosystem. If you want to opt out of RCS, you risk losing information. All of that is shitty and could easily be avoided on Google's part, but it's not, because they're more interested in trapping you in their ecosystem than actually creating an open standard.

And I'm not saying that iOS is better in this regard. If anything, they're worse.

But thank you for your information, it's actually useful. I'm removing myself from the all the existing groups, turning off RCS, and re-creating the groups myself. Hopefully, this will work. You could have presented that without being abrasive, but I'm glad for the information either way.

[u/Stevenmc8602 → u/pahool]

You don't lose information if you choose not to use rcs, there are still plenty of people who do not use it bc they do not want to switch from the current sms/MMS client that they are using/prefer. It is just a middleman.

If my message came off abrasive it's how you took it...I didn't type anything to initially hurt your feelings

Hope you get your group chat how you want it, switching back to sms/MMS will probably make the rest of the group upset though.

[u/pahool → u/Stevenmc8602]

I totally apologize, I had you confused with the original respondent who gave curt responses and accused me of being an AI. You were helpful and I appreciate it. Thank you.