RCS is among the most interesting communication features right now. It offers modern messaging features without installing third-party apps like WhatsApp. Even Apple is adopting RCS to facilitate iMessage-like messaging experience between Android and iPhone users. While Android had RCS support for a long time, it didn't have dual-SIM RCS, but that is arriving now via Google Messages.
Dual-SIM RCS coming to Galaxy phones with Google Messages update
The Samsung smartphone user in India posted a screenshot on Reddit, explaining that their Galaxy smartphone now has dual-SIM RCS activated. As you can see in the screenshot below, the phone seems to have RCS activated simultaneously on both SIM cards (BSNL and Jio networks). This new feature arrived in the latest beta version (20240813_00_RC00) of the Google Messages app.
For several reasons, many people in India and other markets use two SIM cards in their phones. However, RCS was only available on one SIM card earlier, so they couldn't have a high-quality messaging experience on both their lines. Since Google has started testing dual-SIM RCS in the beta version of Google Messages, it is possible that the feature will be released to everyone in the coming weeks.
This isn't the first time Google has tested dual-SIM RCS, though. According to a Redditor, the feature was released earlier and then removed. Hopefully, this time, Google won't remove the feature from the next beta and will soon add it to the stable version of Google Messages.
RCS offers real-time typing indicators, read receipts, high-resolution image and video transfers, stickers, and group chatting. Moreover, RCS doesn't need mobile data to work; it can send and receive information over Wi-Fi. Apple announced it will bring RCS to iPhones with iOS 18 and has already activated it in the public beta version of iOS 18, but it is currently only available in some countries.
To improve RCS adoption, Samsung decided to stop shipping its Galaxy phones and tablets (LTE versions) with its in-house Samsung Messages app and will start shipping Galaxy devices with the Google Messages app in the future.