I was not aware that Mudita does not support RCS. This is a red flag for me, and I don’t understand why this feature is not integrated. It has nothing to do with Google services. I would like it to be integrated because this is an essential feature for me and very important nowadays, especially if you want to deactivate other messaging services like WhatsApp. RCS is then very relevant. Please prioritize this feature, as it is really important and a core function.
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As another Mudita Kompakt customer, I agree that the lack of RCS messaging is annoying, but I understand that the difficulty is that RCS currently requires Google services running. Mudita would probably have to enter into an agreement with Google to support RCS on their devices. The Mudita OS is deliberately de-Googled; this de-Googling is a security (and, perhaps, ethical) positive for many customers. It is, of course, because of this pervasive Googlisation of everything that some people want to cut Google out of their lives. The choice currently appears to be between RCS and a de-Googled device, and one can’t (currently) have both.
https://forum.mudita.com/t/issue-with-group-texts-rcs-on-mudita-kompakt/
Apparently you can tell Google to opt you out of RCS messaging via this link if your previous phone (and current number) used RCS but your current phone does not. I’ve never needed to try it:
It does work eventually, but it Thales a few weeks to be fully implemented.
I personally don’t want RCS on the Kompakt, the number one attraction for me has always been no google
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RCS itself does not require Google services. It is an industry standard defined by the GSMA, not a proprietary Google messaging protocol. RCS services can be provided either by Google or directly by a mobile network operator using its own infrastructure or another RCS platform provider.
Therefore, a de-Googled device and RCS are not inherently mutually exclusive. Google Messages and Google’s Jibe platform are currently the easiest and most widely deployed way of providing RCS on Android, but they are not the only technically possible implementation.
That said, I agree that implementing RCS independently would not be a simple matter of enabling an Android setting. Mudita would need a compatible RCS client, integration with the device’s IMS stack, carrier provisioning and entitlement support, interoperability with RCS networks, and probably testing or certification with mobile operators. AOSP does not provide a complete, ready-to-use RCS client or a fully integrated public RCS framework.
So the accurate distinction is:
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RCS does not technically depend on Google.
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The most common Android implementation currently depends on Google Messages and Google’s RCS infrastructure.
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A fully independent implementation is possible, but it would require substantial development and cooperation with carriers or another RCS infrastructure provider.
For that reason, I would still like Mudita to clarify whether the obstacle is technical effort, carrier certification, licensing, infrastructure access, or a deliberate product decision. Simply stating that RCS is incompatible with a de-Googled operating system would not be technically accurate.
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Thanks for the clarification , I personally don’t have a need for group messaging and would hope that Mudita don’t compromise privacy to enable this. I recall a post on here with instructions on how to root and install micro g or google services on the Kompakt, would that not be a pathway for those who wish to have RCS capabilities on their device .
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You are HIGHLY understating what is involved in getting RCS as a small phone company. Mudita is not even officially registered in the US on the major cell providers. Hence the message you get when you input an ATT sim card. RCS development is so difficult, in fact, that Samsung themselves opted to drop their own implementation (which already leaned on Googles own RCS backend) and offer Google Messages out-of-the-box. Everything I know about RCS on Android depends on Google’s infrastructure.
To my knowledge, there is not a single independent de-googled phone that offers RCS. I don’t mean to sound off-putting but your message is coming across aggressive to a dev team that in no practical way can perform what you’re asking and that can be confusing to users.
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The fact that samsung gave up on their own version (if I understood correctly) surely puts into perspective how hard this is to achieve… It is a shame though, as MMS/SMS has its limitations
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Not just small, anything that is not Google or Apple. I love the Samsung example, I always mention that when this topic is raised.
The only ones I know are in China, they’re de-googled by default as a country 
They do use RCS but it’s handled by their own phone carriers and not Google’s Jibe.
Japanese networks also might be using their own RCS servers.
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The original poster’s comment was in German when I first saw it (although it’s in English now). I think some toleration should be given to perceived errors in tone when using a language other than your own. These things are difficult to get right even when you’re a native speaker. Mudita’s customers are international; if we want to get the most out of our mutual communications, we need to concentrate on the substance and - as difficult as it might be - deliberately ignore tonal subtleties which might just be cultural differences or artefacts of non-native language use.
That’s the approach I hope others take with me when I fumble about in their culture and language, anyway.
EDIT I see the original poster’s account is now marked “removedAccount”. If he’s withdrawn because he perceived hostile feedback on this forum, I am quite annoyed.
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He received a polite and formal response from David, not an admonishment of any kind. If you want to pontificate diversity and tolerance, that’s more of a you problem.
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Thank you @removedAccount for sharing your perspective. We completely understand that RCS has become an expected part of messaging for many people, especially for those who no longer use services such as WhatsApp.
RCS is not supported on Mudita Kompakt, and we’re currently not planning to implement it. This is not related solely to the absence of Google services. Not including RCS was a deliberate product decision connected to Kompakt’s focus on simpler, more intentional communication.
We also understand that this may not suit everyone’s needs. If RCS is essential for you and its absence is a deal-breaker, please contact our Customer Support team at [email protected]. They will be happy to discuss the available return or refund options with you.
Many of the features of RCS could be considered social media-esque (i.e. typing indicators, read receipts, replies) but I believe the pros outweigh the cons. For instance, in a regular MMS group chat members cannot be added or removed which can be incredibly annoying - I remember getting spammed with notifications from group chats I could not leave when I got my first phone. Additionally, all media sent over MMS is compressed down to 1 MB, meaning that everyone in the thread receives lower quality images. But by far the most important benefit of the latest version of RCS is end-to-end encryption by default. Standard SMS and MMS messages can easily be intercepted and read by your carrier or any other middlemen along the network routing path, and by using a phone that only supports SMS and MMS you are stripping those protections from yourself and everyone else in any group chat that includes you. I accept that although RCS was meant to be an open standard, google has a chokehold over the API and is refusing to allow third parties to utilize it, and it is perfectly valid to claim that RCS is impractical to implement for that reason (heck even Samsung couldn’t do it). But I struggle with the idea that RCS shouldn’t be implemented in the name of simpler, more intentional communication.
This also comes from a U.S. perspective - I detest the current administration and I don’t want to contribute to a system that allows protected speech to be freely surveilled - but I’m sure this remains true almost anywhere in the world. It’s a shame because I love the default SMS app and wish I could use it more, maybe someday Mudita would consider allowing bridges to other services (i.e. Signal) so that we could still utilize encryption while enjoying a more mindful, intentional design. Currently I use OpenBubbles for nearly all of my communication - whatever qualms I may have with Apple, they utilize end-to-end encryption in iMessage and FaceTime (and nearly everyone I know has an iPhone because they absolutely dominate the U.S. market).
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Is it truly a deliberate choice when the alternative (RCS without Google services) is nigh impossible for a company of Mudita’s size and scope?
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@chadp That’s why Mudita has been transparent about the fact that we don’t plan on implementing RCS (or a GOOGLE-FREE version of RCS ) in Mudita Kompakt.
Totally agree. In my mind, this has never been in question, though clearly OP didn’t get the memo.
I took issue only with how you framed why RCS is not included, that it was a deliberate choice. Upon further reflection though, there is indeed a deliberate choice in there.
Mudita has made the deliberate choice to build the Kompakt without Google services. Because of this deliberate choice, the traditional route of implementing RCS with Google services is a non-starter.
And while implementing RCS without Google services may be technically possible, it is entirely infeasible for a company of Mudita’s size and scope, as discussed above (see Samsung).
The conversation really ends there. Or it should end there.
I think we likely disagree on whether the features of RCS are compatible or incompatible with Mudita’s mission and values, but the point is entirely moot.
I bought the phone knowing it doesn’t have and wouldn’t have RCS. It is a compromise I made after weighing pros and cons. All in all, I think the Kompakt is a fabulous device in spite of the lack of RCS.
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@chadp Thanks for this feedback. I’m with you when it comes to the intentionality of Mudita Kompakt. However, I totally get it, that these days, we are just expect to see certain features in the technology we use & if it’s not available, there’s friction, which some people may find uncomfortable.
Been reading this thread, and I should add some context. Google was set to allow RCS to work in the base AOSP code, but at the last moment, removed it. IIRC that was around Android 13 or 12.
While it is true that RCS is a standard, Google has chosen to gate keep it to only their app. In fact, they don’t let you run it if you are rooted.
People say that once a newer form of RCS is standardized, which should be any time now, that formalizes group e2e encryption, which is what Google and Apple are looking towards, it could be then shared on the base of the phone on Android.
But, IMO, Google has been turning into apple, and while the Google of 2008 would let SMS be free for any app to use, they won’t let RCS go. To be fair, every RCS text is treated as an MMS in the global Android database, so maybe it could happen.
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Thanks for all this insight & welcome to the Mudita Forum. We’re glad that you’re here. I read about this gatekeeping awhile back when we first launched Mudita Kompakt. Even the iPhone didn’t have it until like Sept 2024 with the launch of iPhone 18.