The smsacronym for “short message service”, could be fully supplanted shortly by a new type of latest generation messages.
Born in Europe in 1984, but then landed on mobile phones only in 1992, in their ultra -three -year history the SMS were for a long time the only exponent of the messaging system on our electronic devices. With the technological evolution, their limits, primarily the fact that beyond the text through them, no other files such as photos or videos cannot be sent, have been joined and then exceeded by other systems of instant messaging More advanced, for example WhatsApp, Telegram or Messenger, to mention only the most widespread.
Added to this is a further gap, given by the absence of end-to-end encryption, which in fact makes SMS vulnerable since their content is potentially consulted also by mobile telephony operators, however, without having to obtain any specific authorization. This particular aspect potentially also weakens the two -factor authentication system, given that the part that arrives via message is already less safe departure.
All this considered is easy to understand why a new and more modern service is quickly conquering large consensus everywhere. These are RCSacronym for Rich Communication Services, a messaging standard that has millions and millions of users. The RCS are already present in the apps of the most recent smartphones, so this means that you can access the messaging service directly from your device without needing to download and install third -party apps.
Unlike SMS, these messages allow users to send high quality multimedia files to their contacts, such as HD photos, animated video or gifs. Among others advantages Also the possibility of exploiting the function of reading confirmation and understanding when the other person is typing an answer. It is also possible to get out of group chats and moderate the members of group conversations. The only flaw is the absence of end-to-end encryption, given that the RCS also exploit the mobile telephony network.
Their growth in Europe is evident: only in France in the last year the number of devices compatible with this standard has increased by 35%. Smartphones producers also wink at this recent technology: between 2024 and 2025 the number of brands that opened the doors to the RCS has increased by 55%, also because it is a vehicle of information and advertising particularly coveted by marketing companies, which thanks to it can communicate with users directly from the standard app of messages already installed by default on electronic devices.
And in Italy? For now, flat calm, also because the RCS are not supported by telephone operators. However, another phenomenon must be kept in mind, since more and more users are taking a step back and prefer to abandon modern smartphones to move on to “Feature Phone“, The phones that can only make calls and send SMS.
It is likely that growing success leads the RCS to spread also in Italy and to compete with applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram above all, but there is a good market slice of people who continue to prefer traditional messaging systems, so it is not said that the word is said to be an end to an ultra -year -year history of great success.