Google Messages May Remove Per-Conversation RCS Toggle, Report Says
Android Authority reports that a new Google Messages update appears to prepare for removing the ability to turn off RCS in individual conversations, potentially leaving users to disable it across all chats.
Currently, Google Messages allows users to turn off RCS for individual conversations. That gives users a way to avoid the feature in a specific chat if it is causing problems. Android Authority says that after the per-conversation option is removed, the only way to avoid RCS may be to disable it across all chats.
RCS has been a major part of Google Messages. Android Authority describes its arrival as "an absolute game-changer" for the app. The standard has brought read receipts, bigger media attachments, and cross-platform messaging with iPhone users. Those features have made RCS central to the Google Messages experience, even as the app has continued to offer users control over when and where it is used.
RCS is not without its own problems, however. Google Messages has provided an easy way for users to opt out if the feature is causing issues, and the per-conversation toggle has been part of that approach. According to Android Authority, that easy opt-out now looks like it could be going away.
The report is based on an app update and characterizes the change as groundwork for a possible removal. It says the move appears to be in preparation, rather than a completed change. Android Authority's report is part of its Authority Insights series, which it describes as offering exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage.
If the option is removed, users who want to avoid RCS in a particular conversation would not be able to do so without turning it off for all chats. Android Authority says the option could be going away, but describes the update as laying groundwork rather than confirming the removal.