It has been a long time since Google introduced its Rich Communication Services (RCS) to Google Messages as a worthy opponent to iMessage on iOS. And in the last couple of years, Google has been actively promoting RCS, urging Apple to strongly adopt Google’s security protocol as well. Now, there’s a new update, which can be useful for other messaging apps too. Keep reading to know how.
MLS for Google Messages Announced
In its latest security blog post, Google announced the integration of Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF) Message Layer Security (MLS) specification RFC 9420 with its Google Messages Platform. This new security protocol will work alongside Google RCS but will be responsible to enable interoperability between devices irrespective of the OS they operate on. MLS will also use end-to-end encryption to enhance your messaging security and privacy.
Not only that, Google wants to integrate MLS into Android codebase and make it open source for faster and widespread development and adoption. With MLS introduced, you will be able to send SMS via Google Messages to any messaging platform without the risk of any security or privacy threat. For instance, with MLS, you can use Google Messages on an Android smartphone to message friends on an iPhone with complete end-to-end encryption, which otherwise would have been broken with RCS.
Now, it is unclear how Google is planning to approach RCS with this. We are optimistic that it will exist and that MLS will be an addition on top of that. However, we cannot comment with certainty unless we receive some sort of official confirmation.
Overall, with MLS security protocol, Google is showing its commitment to pave a reliable and concrete future for Google Messages. And in recent years, the messaging platform has matured and has gained much more by shedding its skin of only being an SMS platform. You can use Messages to reply on a per-chat basis, react to messages using emojis, send stickers, view the status of sent messages, star important messages, and much more.
So, what do you think of MLS? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below.
