Google extends the availability of its RCS service to users in Spain

RCS is an enhanced form of SMS messaging that, unlike the more established system, supports features such as high-quality image or video sharing, read receipts and improved group chats. It can also work over Wi-Fi or mobile data in addition to GSM/CDMA. Google has announced that the latest market to see these potential market is that of Spain.

The Mountain View giant has taken the initiative to provide this form of RCS by itself, although it has collaborated with the carriers Másmóvil, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone to get it working in its new country. Therefore, it may already be working on Android phones using these networks at present. However, it requires the Messages app in order to work.

These Spanish users can also now exchange RCS-based messages to others in those additional countries in which the same standard is enabled, and also have compatible carriers and apps (such as Messages or Samsung Messages). To date, these nations consist of the US, Mexico, France and the UK. All the better to keep in contact under the looming spectre of CoViD-19 for this lucky limited user-pool.