Gemini could get a major upgrade thanks to RCS support — what that means for you

By Tom Pritchard

Gemini could get a major upgrade thanks to RCS support — what that means for you

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Gemini could get a major upgrade thanks to RCS support — what that means for you

Tom Pritchard

2 July 2025

Gemini’s messaging capabilities could be in for an upgrade

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If you’ve ever tried to send text messages from Gemini, even through Google Messages, you may have noticed the AI can only send SMS text messages. It won’t even send MMS messages, and as terrible the quality of those images is, it’s still better than not being able to send anything.

Fortunately things might be changing, with Android Authority uncovering clues that suggest Gemini will be getting RCS support in the near future.
The code found in Google app v16.25.44 suggests that Gemini will gain the ability to “fetch RCS Capabilities” So while RCS itself isn’t being baked into Gemini, this should allow the AI chatbot to interact with Google Messages and send messages via the more advanced messaging platform.

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That should open up a bunch more capabilities for Gemini. Not just sending images to your contacts, but all the other things RCS offers that Google currently says Gemini can’t do.

RCS and Gemini is a winning combination

(Image credit: Future)
We’re talking about creating or contributing to group chats, reacting to messages, sending GIFs and emojis, or even just having the option to send messages with end-to-end encryption.
Though that last one will depend on what messaging platform your contacts use. RCS encryption is not available on iPhone, for example.
As Android Authority notes, if RCS isn’t available on both devices, then Gemini will likely fall back to SMS. Which, while better than nothing, isn’t the most feature-rich or secure method of communicating.

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So the fact Gemini may be getting the ability to send RCS messages in the near future can only be a good thing.
Unfortunately we don’t know when it might happen. Android Authority notes that the feature is still a work in progress, and Google hasn’t made any official announcements about it. But the fact code is present in the Google app means it should be on the way at some point — and hopefully soon.
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Tom Pritchard

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UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom’s Guide’s UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It’s long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

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