Microsoft has partnered with Samsung to bring RCS to Windows PCs via the Your Phone app that allows users to mirror their smartphone screens to their Windows PCs. The integration, which will initially only be available on the Galaxy S20-series devices, will allow folks to send and receive RCS messages from Windows computers through Microsoft’s Your Phone app, provided they’re using Samsung Messages as the default messaging app on their shiny new Galaxy S20-series handset.
Announcing the new development over the weekend, Microsoft’s Roberto Bojorquez said: “Proud to announce that we have partnered with the Samsung Messages team to bring RCS messaging support to Your Phone app via Link to Windows. Starting with the Galaxy S20 Series, you will be able to send and receive RCS texts from PC if your default SMS app is Samsung Messages”. While the feature is only available on the Galaxy S20 lineup for now, it will most likely be rolled out to other Samsung devices in the coming days.
Proud to announce that we have partnered with the Samsung Messages team to bring RCS messaging support to #yourphone app via #linktowindows. Starting with the #galaxys20series you will be able to send and receive RCS texts from PC if your default SMS app is Samsung Messages!
— Roberto Bojorquez [Microsoft] (@bojorchess) February 15, 2020
It’s worth noting here that Google rolled out RCS on its own messaging app late last year, making Google Messages the go-to software for folks wanting to make use of the new functionality on their Android phones. That being the case, it’s a little surprising to see that Microsoft and Samsung are spending so much time, money and energy trying to reinvent the wheel rather than getting behind the established app so as to ensure that every one in the Android universe is on the same page.
Google may have taken its own sweet time rolling out RCS on Android, but the feature is now working in many regions around the world, including in India. The company seems to have got it right for the most part, circumventing carriers completely by integrating RCS to its Messages app in a way that lets any Google Messages user to enable the feature regardless of their carrier. You can learn how to activate RCS on your phone by checking out our detailed guide on the subject.
