• Source:JND
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The update of July 25 marked a milestone for Android: the implementation of RCS Universal Profile 3.1 and a major advancement for the RCS standards. With this update, the attention given to voice messaging systems and RCS as a whole improves, as does the messaging standards used on Android of late and iPhones.

According to the update that was notified by Tom Van Pelt on the GSMA Blog, RCS voice messages will now utilise the Unicode-compliant xHE-AAC audio codec, offering the promise of enhanced audio of voice messages.

What’s New in RCS v3.1?

1. Improved Voice Message Quality

  • With the RCS voice messages now able to utilise the xHE-AAC codec, the audio quality will be maintained during the sending of voice notes and even the sharing of music recordings.
  • In addition to this, the codec ensures rich-sounding messages while requiring relatively little bandwidth during transmission and reception, enabling efficient compression and decompression during the sending of voice messages.

2. Better Performance in Poor Coverage Areas

  • The addition of mechanisms for connecting RCS clients to the operator’s services will go a long way in improving reliability.

RCS and Encryption: A Quick Recap

This is an extension of the RCS v3.0 update from March that added end-to-end encryption (E2EE) — a much-awaited advancement that positioned RCS as the first large-scale messaging platform and service to offer cross-provider interoperable encryption.

Apple’s lagging adoption of RCS was problematic as the implemented encryption voided its privacy and security. Later on, encryption was added, thus aligning Apple's infrastructure to Google’s privacy and security direction.

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Why Does This Matter?

Voice messaging on RCS was updated to v3.1 and now matches the modern standards of messaging platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage. Users can expect a speech and non-speech audio clarity enhancement.

The constant evolution of RCS solidifies its ability to replace the SMS/MMS services while narrowing the gap between the Android and iOS ecosystems.

Final Thoughts

The release of RCS v3.1 demonstrates that the GSMA is keeping pace, but simultaneously, RCS is establishing itself as a leader in cross-platform audio messaging with a focus on quality, dependability, and RCS messaging standards. Users can anticipate international messaging to become faster, more secure, and far more refined as adoption increases.