What are /r/UniversalProfile's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

This is the app you can use to get to the RCS settings https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher

I think I've found a way of doing this.

Install the Intra app. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.intra&hl=en_GB

Turn it on, and enable show recent queries. What you get is a list of DNS queries to the DNS over HTTPS server. The key thing is you can watch the domains being queried when you enable Chat.

On my Huawei with a Three SIM using Google Messages it queries *.rcs.telephony.goog domains.

On my Samsung with a Vodafone SIM using Google Messages it queries *.ims.vodafone.com domains.

So I'm now 99% sure Google Messages is now working with Vodafone UK RCS services on Samsung phones. Until this morning I had to use Samsung Messages.

It is an improvement, as even if we still have to use the carrier RCS service we can at least now pick the app we want to use.

Same as you guys. Side loaded this

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/messenger-google-inc/messenger-google-inc-4-6-368-release/messages-4-6-368-imp_rc13_xxhdpi-arm64-v8a-phone-android-apk-download/download/

I use this site all the time, no issues. Make sure it's the right one for your phone, Droid Info helps

Signal is a good multi-platform E2E encrypted alternative. It supports SMS/MMS fallback on Android. Google has yet to even provide an API for third-party RCS support. It'll be years before Apple even thinks about it.

That's really odd. But now I'm having problems registering for RCS so I've given up on it entirely. I've switched to this app. Maybe Google will eventually make the registration process less tortuous.

As truthful as this is, a part of me still wants to hope this isn't the case here.

My carrier has a proprietary app they (almost) mandate their users to download and use to text other folks on the same carrier. They claim to have heavily invested in the app and (maybe) since RCS will make less folks use the app, called Ayoba (you can find it on Play Store), I won't be surprised that their bias is blocking them from enabling RCS (after all, it's all business to them)

I just wish RCS rollout was very much like Nearby Share rollout. Everyone would be on it now.

Have you installed the Google carrier services app from the play store?. My friend's RCS didn't work on their pixel until they installed it, not sure if it's the same for Samsung https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.ims

That makes sense - Google are providing service based on the MCC and MCN of the network of the SIM card. Check https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gsmdev.simcard and see what MCC and MCN are being reported - I'm expecting that the MCC will be 234 (which is the UK code)

Actually I have a solution for you. Have a read: https://www.xda-developers.com/andromeda-substratum-custom-themes-oreo/

Essentially, it's theming for Android Oreo with no root. You can achieve full dark mode on Android Messages with this theme: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brit.swiftblack.layers

There's a little bit of money involved, but I'm not telling you where to look wink wink

Anyway, if you need help ask any question.

Its interesting, because I have internet though a cellular modem using the AT&T ipad plan. RCS will not work when connected to the wifi from that modem. As soon as I disconnect from the wifi, all the RCS messages start flooding in. RCS will work over that cell modem if I use a VPN tunnel to a provider like Private Internet Access. I wonder how AT&T is able to block the RCS traffic?

you go by your device Architecture and then by your device display resolution. Most new phones and Android since 5.0 support 64-bit, but you just have to check if it's ARM-based (Qualcomm, Samsung, etc) or x86 (Intel). Most phones are ARM, but always good to check the specs.

Pixel 3xl is 523 ppi, which is kinda in between what's available, but i'd just go with the close if higher ppi, so arm64 at 560 ppi (apkmirror and others say dpi but they should really say ppi)

I did check, I was aware the Pro model was dual SIM, but gsmarena says the standard model is to. (Hybrid Dual SIM) every single version of the Note 5 appears to be Hybrid Dual SIM https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_5-8768.php

i went from Beta 6 back to the latest P, and mine was also stuck for days. No amount of clearing cache, data, clearing Carrier Services, etc would work.

I downloaded 4.0.053 on apkmirror and magically, RCS was set up within one minute of installing it.

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/messenger-google-inc/messenger-google-inc-4-0-053-release/

What version do you have?

Check your Samsung Messages app -- I know Samsung has RCS integrated in, but I am not sure how it works. Fi may only let that app do it but I have no idea yet.

You need the latest version for the S10 if you want to check Google Messages version

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/messenger-google-inc/messenger-google-inc-4-3-094-release/messages-4-3-094-griffin_rc05_xxhdpi-arm64-v8a-phone-android-apk-download/

I had similar issues on my oneplus 8 on android 11 with tmobile.

First an foremost I'd recommend leaving the toggle on for a week since rcs and Tmobile can be slow and finky to activate (I had this exact same issue). In my case leaving the toggle on it took about a week or two and it suddenly connected and stayed connected.

Also make sure to download carrier services:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.ims&hl=en_US&gl=US

clearing cach from play services and messages never really helped in my case as in the past I used to get stuck on veryfying number and connecting.

Well, anybody can make their own logo. In order to use the official one on product pages and things than they have to support RCS.

But they could make their own logo, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hopefully something like https://silence.im/ is adapted to work with RCS and adopted by various clients, but there's no realistic possibility of any carrier ever doing E2E directly.

Governments demand legal warrants should work (at a minimum) and carriers are uniquely dependant on public spectrum highly regulated by Governments.

No chance of E2E encryption being part of the GSMA RCS standard because it's a spec for carriers.

I hope once Google creates a Android API for RCS, Silence SMS can be upgraded to RCS and various texting apps add the open source code.

Not impossible that Google would do something similar with Android Messages similar to Allo incognito mode, but IDK.

https://silence.im/

By a 3rd party app, it seems very possible once the API is released (with Android R?). Signal created an end to end SMS/MMS encryption protocol TextSecure, but they abandoned it. It was forked to an app called Silence.

https://silence.im/

Native support won't happen for a non-technical reason. Carriers operate by the grace of licensing spectrum controlled by the government. They are not going to rock the boat with E2E that resists legal warrants, etc.

It is not E2E, but at least RCS is encrypted to the server. SMS has no encryption.

Essentially a federated chat protocol, can chat with anyone on the network without being on the same server or service. Kind of like email, you can send an email from a Gmail account to a Yahoo account without an issue.

https://matrix.org/blog/home/

Pretty much. Anyone can make an RCS client, but since it takes so much work only Google/Samsung/etc have done it (and they're all closed-source). I've been wondering about the mysterious (and a little suspicious) Smart Messages app that claims to support RCS, and my theory is that they copied the RCS stack from Google Messages and repackaged it into their own app.

Android Messages (Beta) and Carrier Services should by pass the carrier restrictions.

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FI1JW72/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes and no. Its Energy Notch. :)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=you.in.spark.energy.notch&hl=en_US

Yes.. You had to be on Verizon using the same app. I had all my family members on the plan before I started using RCS. However, you did mention a 3rd party app for back up. Initially I thought this too. But I'm here to tell ya.. You can back them up too including any attachments aka MMS photos, videos. Even if it's all RCS. Took me some time to find it.. But I did.

I did take a chance and paid for several others until I found the right one. I was trying to purchase a pixel 3xl and couldn't find a new one or refurbished phone. So pixel 4xl was my next logical choice. Google has pulled them all from the market and I really don't want a pixel 4a XL.. I'm waiting for the pixel 5xl and then I can get rid of this Samsung s20 Garbage. Ha. The transition would have been easier. The s20 did not import much of my Google messages at all. I thought I had lost them all until I find the right app.

But I used my pixel 2xl that I have had for 3 years now.. It was already off the network.. But was still able to back up to my Google drive and imported all of my messages on to the S20 5G without fail. Hell.. I'm even using the Google Pixel Camera Software on this phone. And it's a dream!

Here’s the link. You will not be disappointed.

sms backup and restore pro

Another update. I downloaded a third party RCS app (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.messages.chat) and even with that app my RCS was stuck on verifying. I'm pretty confident that its a server error now for sure. Also I didn't know RCS had a third party API but uh.. apparently it now does?

That's your problem, right there.

Even with Google Messages you can have issues, and it has legitimate access to Google's Jive servers. Who knows what this app does.

did you exclude it from battery saving? make sure all permissions are enabled. I also downloaded carrier services by google. idk if there's a way to visually confirm this helps, but it wouldn't hurt to have it installed too

i should also point out that, there were hidden system apps related to rcs functioning (indirectly and directly). for the v30, the package names were some variation of com.rcs.provider. oddly enough there were some additional hidden wifi settings that I launched as well...

since rcs is so new and slowly maturing before our eyes, troubleshooting in some cases is necessary. though this may be a bit excessive, I hope this helps.

sadly i don't have any hacks for dual sims issues....

I had to download 'Activity Launcher' to launch RCS settings on the default (or system) messaging app first before gmessages worked for me (tmo, v30)

I'm talking about apps like Do it Later, where it's not trying to be your default text messaging app, it's only purpose is to send scheduled mess

Downloading activity launcher. and search for messaging and locate the following activity helped made rcs more stable for me.

it would work every few messages or so.

For others, maybe troubleshoot other rcs related settings too

Download the Google Messages and Carrier Services from the Google Play Store. One you install both and open the Messages app it should have a pop-up with activating the service. Go to the Messages settings>Chat Features> and make sure that chat featured is connected.

To check if it is connected. Message a friend that has RVS. If you don't have a friend with RCS, you can DM me.

with the DNS Charger ("dnspipe") app, which acts as a VPN to modify the DNS, have set it on my phone to use the Adguard DNS to block ads.

see app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frostnerd.dnschanger

see Adguard DNS: https://adguard.com/en/adguard-dns/overview.html

don't know if it is the VPN aspect of the app or if it is the Adguard DNS that is causing the conflict with RCS. but the bottomline for me is to exclude messages and carrier services in the DNS Changer app's settings to avoid issues with RCS.

Thanks! It seems the instructions are outdated. Also my link was bad. It's fixed now, but it's: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher&hl=en_US

Open it, scroll down and tap Messages, and tap Set RCS Flags. It should open a window. Don't hit "Apply!", FYI. Just let us know what fields were set.

Can you share the ACS url that you're getting? I'm trying to force it to enroll and I kinda got far by putting the sandbox ACS url and then removing it. Now, at least, I'm getting the option to set it up (though it's not working).

You can do it by

> 1.) Open Activity Launcher

> 2.) Tap 'Recent Activities,' and in the menu choose 'All Activities.'

> 3.) Look for 'Android Messages.'

> 4.) Tap it, then scroll until you find 'Set RCS Flags' (com.google.android.apps.messaging.ui.appsettings.rcs.overrides.OverrideFlagsActivity).

It seems like if I can put a valid one, then I can manually enroll. There's a dev-1 one, but I would like to use the official one and I'm not sure what it is.

This should be included in the app, you're right.

In the meantime, if you need a workaround, try Exif Eraser been using that when i want to make sure exif is gone. You can access it directly from your gallery app, sharing the photo to Exif Eraser will get it processed without loss of quality, and then the app asks you if you want to share the processed pic.

1. What's the path to the messages database? Just out of curiosity; I remember reading that rcs messages are kept in a different database

2. For me, sms backup and restore warns that it can't do advanced messaging (rcs). Are you using this app?

What about Jio?

Tho i know Jio has a separate app which has RCS support for rich messaging and rich calling experience ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jio.join )

but same RCS i'm not seeing for Google's Messages app, for Jio number!!

Are you sure you're using the right one? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging

You need the beta version off this app. Scroll down to and click join, then download the update.

just a FYI

my Activity Launcher kept crashing on me when it was loading apps .

I found this app that works for me when Activity Launcher didnt.

​

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrefrsousa.tools.activitymanager&hl=en_US

Is it possible for someone to pull the APK with the edits?

I assume it's an apk edit that is saved.. so wouldn't an apk pull mean that the edit was already done and others wouldn't have to do the edit

not sure if that is possible. Activity Launcher didnt work for me. but Activity Manager did. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrefrsousa.tools.activitymanager&hl=en_US

is this the right app? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.szalkowski.activitylauncher&hl=en_US

Play store

Carrier services in case you can't find this one on your phone already installed

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.ims&hl=en_US&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dcarrier+services&pcampaignid=APPU_1_iN61XZidA8m85gKmhaHoAQ

So to be clear, this requires the Google Messages app from the Play Store, not the Samsung one? I just installed this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.messaging

And am still not seeing "Android Messages" in Activity Launcher.

My sim doesn't haven a number at all. Android itself says my phone number is unknown, and messages says it's unknown and if I tap on it, it's completely blank. This tool https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gsmdev.simcard shows my phone number is empty on the SIM card.

In the UK what seems to happen is - if you are doing an in-store upgrade, or the SIM is sent out to you, then the number is blank. If you have started a new contract with the network, then the SIM that comes with the phone has a temporary number - because it takes up to 48 hours to port your number, so the temporary number can be used until the port is complete. My number was ported from O2 in 2009, That took 24 hours. Everytime I have done an upgrade, as soon as the new SIM is put into the new phone, the old SIM is disconnected when the new phone first registers with the network. These SIMs as far as I can tell, don't have any number attached to them.

It doesn't normally matter - because it's the SIMs serial number(s) that is attached to the phone number on the network, the phone doesn't normally need to know what it's phone number is.

If you're on an Android phone on a recent version. You just download the Android Messages app and check to see if you have a setting in your settings called something like "Enable Chat Features" If you have the setting then you have RCS!