Chats, large file transfers between iPhone and Galaxy

Apple’s iPhone is expected to introduce the next-generation text messaging service (RCS) in the second half of this year, allowing for text messaging in chat format and large file transfers with Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy smartphones, according to the Korean news agency Yonhap.

The Korea Communications Commission announced that it has issued administrative guidance to Apple recommending that the iPhone introduce RCS to replace existing text messaging to resolve user inconveniences, increasing compatibility and interoperability.

RCS is a text messaging service that is more advanced than short messages or long messages from mobile carriers, and supports large file transfers and chat functions such as “writing” and “read” marks.

Currently, it is only applied to Galaxy phone users, so the KCC has been mediating the negotiations between Korea’s three mobile carriers and Apple, the Yonhap report said.

The KCC recommended that Apple distribute a beta version of the iPhone operating system (iOS) within the first half of this year so that the three mobile carriers can check the RCS function.

It also recommended that it support large file transfer functions of up to 300MB and that it continue to negotiate with the three mobile carriers during the service introduction process.