💬 Out of Labs and ready to roll: Google Messages + RCS support is here.
💬 Out of Labs and ready to roll: Google Messages + RCS support is here.
The wait for a cross-platform RCS chat app is over. Beeper now has you covered—update today!
In our quest to build the best chat app on Earth, we’re thrilled to say Beeper now supports Google Messages with full RCS support! Special thanks to all the Beepsters who helped refine and beta test our integration while we previewed it in Beeper Labs. You’re a big reason why RCS messaging is working great in the latest versions Beeper Desktop, Android, and iPhone.
Considering the eager anticipation for RCS support, we’re proud to deliver for the community big-time on this one. You’re using one of the first and only apps to feature RCS messaging on all platforms—way to go!
⚖️ RCS vs SMS »
⚖️ RCS vs SMS
RCS—aka Rich Communication Services—is a modern messaging standard for doing what SMS and MMS (which have been around since the early 1990s) cannot. RCS is what makes chats on Google Messages dynamic and interactive. Everything you can do over RCS chat is now fully supported in Beeper.
☝️ RCS on Beeper is more reliable and secure than our previous Android SMS connection. RCS messaging consistently delivers an enhanced chat experience without the occasional hiccups we previously encountered.
🚀 Set Up Google Messages + RCS
Set up Google Messages + RCS like you would any other Beeper-supported chat app.
On Beeper 🖥️ Desktop, go to ⚙️ Settings » Chat Networks » SMS/RCS (Google Messages) » Continue to display a QR code.
On your Android phone, open Google Messages. Tap your photo in the top corner to open a menu » select Device pairing.
Tap the QR code scanner on the Device Pairing screen and scan the code displayed on the Beeper Desktop screen. The pairing should complete in a few moments.
🎓 Review our full Google Messages - Getting Started Guide for device / system requirements and full instructions getting Beeper set up with RCS.
🎩 Kind of a Big Deal
As one of the first times we’ve announced a new chat network connection, we’re excited to do so with such a popular and well-loved messaging protocol, with more to come! No other app besides Google Messages itself offers the breadth of RCS capability that Beeper now does.
☝️ Reactions are synced across all devices, even when chatting with an iPhone friend.
We’re also the first app to make it possible for Apple devices to chat over RCS. If you have an Android device with mobile service from a SIM card, Beeper on your iPhone, Mac, or iPad can fully participate in Google Messages conversations.
🧠 How’d We Do It?
With no published API for RCS Messaging, supporting Google Messages presented a challenge. Our engineering team rolled up its sleeves, got down and dirty, and reverse-engineered a working integration based on how Google Messages for web works. Beeper syncs with Google Messages by pairing as a linked device via QR code authentication and VOILA—the first cross-platform RCS messaging app was born.
By open sourcing our work, other developers and enthusiasts can create RCS messaging apps or roll their own self-hosted chat solutions. Visit our documentation on Github to get started.
🚨 Current Beeper Android users should upgrade from the previous SMS connection to the new Google Messages + RCS integration as soon as possible.
Google Messages delivers a more reliable SMS experience in Beeper, in addition to all the rich messaging features (GIFs, stickers, tap reactions, etc.) RCS provides. In a few weeks, Google Messages + RCS will be the only way to send / receive SMS on Beeper Android. Get a head start today and upgrade with our handy Getting Started Guide.
📟 Don’t Be a Stranger!
We believe communication should be effortless, engaging, and enjoyable. With RCS support, Beeper’s making big progress toward that vision. We can't wait to see how you use these new features to connect with your loved ones.
Stay tuned for more updates and features coming your way. Your feedback and support continues to help make Beeper become the best chat app on earth. We’re one chat away when you want help, have ideas and feedback, or a problem to report.
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💬 Out of Labs and ready to roll: Google Messages + RCS support is here.
I wish you didn't drop SMS support. SMS is a last resort solution when nothing else works. Now with this Google Messages integration I'm entirely stuck and can't send/receive SMS when my data connection is not working. Deal-breaker for me.
I'm not sure how many people care about RCS support but none of my friends use SMS for anything else than auth tokens and communication when the data is not working.
And then there are the big privacy concerns that this introduces: what's the point of having everything e2e-ish on Beeper but then decide to hand over all our data to Google? Snooping on all the 2FA messages enables them to know exactly when and what service I connect to and there is nothing I can do about it.
I disabled this integration and reverted to the native Android Messaging app.
I noticed that setting this up now seems to allow me to see messages from two phone numbers. I almost never use SMS but banks and accounts use it to my US number. Unexpected benefit!