Google Messages set to remove RCS toggle for specific contacts
Google has been a strong advocate for Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging, but recent developments suggest the company is set to remove a key feature from Google Messages that allows users to disable RCS for specific contacts. According to an APK teardown of the version messages.android_20261002_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic conducted by Android Authority, Google is working to eliminate the "Only send SMS and MMS messages" toggle in conversation details. This change will force users to either disable RCS entirely or keep it enabled for all contacts.
Before fully removing the toggle, Google plans to notify users via a banner in the Google Messages app. The leaked code strings from the APK teardown suggest that users will receive a warning message with options to either switch to RCS immediately or let the app update automatically. However, there is no clear timeline for when this change will be implemented.
The removal of this feature has been criticized by Android Police, which argues that it limits user control over communication preferences and reduces the ability to prevent spam in Google Messages. Despite the backlash, Google appears committed to moving forward with this change.