What Can RCS Become? – Exploring the Future of Rich Communication Services and Mobile Messaging

Rich Communication Services (RCS) have been a long time coming. But in the past two to three years, they have finally matured into a viable, full-featured channel for business messaging offering branded interfaces, features like rich card carousels, action buttons, read receipts, group chat, and two-way interactions that put it miles ahead of traditional SMS marketing.

And yet, RCS is still very much evolving, offering a rich messaging experience going well beyond SMS and MMS.

The rollout of Universal Profile 3, the latest version of the common technical framework that supports RCS, has unlocked several long-awaited upgrades for business communication. These include:

• Rich deep linking, allowing businesses to guide users to specific web pages.
• Seamless opt-out and opt-in flows, embedded directly into chatbot interactions.
• Smarter UI workflows, making customer journeys more intuitive.
• Stronger spam filtering and vetting, protecting both users and brands.
• More consistent and polished UX across devices, carriers, and markets.

These are not just quality-of-life improvements, they represent a maturing infrastructure ready to support a new type of meaningful engagement at scale.

With each technical milestone like Universal Profile 3, RCS becomes less of a ‘future channel’ and more of a present-day opportunity. Its full potential is ahead of us, though, still to be seen. 

This exact realization sparked a thought: what might Rich Communication Services become in the next stage of their development? What new capabilities could they offer to businesses and their audiences?

And more specifically:

How can future RCS messaging features be designed from a brand-first perspective to deliver even more immersive, empowering customer experiences? Let’s dive into the possibilities.

Visions of the future: RCS and the everything app ambition

In 2022, Elon Musk famously declared his intention to turn Twitter, now known as X, into an “everything app.” His vision was clear: one unified interface replacing YouTube, LinkedIn, FaceTime, dating apps, and even your bank. “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app,” he stated.

And while the platform has certainly evolved under his leadership, the idea of X as a full-fledged Western equivalent of WeChat remains more ambition than reality. Whether that original vision is still alive is anyone’s guess.

But what if the most powerful contender for the “everything app” wasn’t an app at all?

Enter RCS, a channel built directly into the native messaging apps of billions of smartphones. With support from both Google and Apple (in iOS 18), as well as deep integration with telecom networks and device manufacturers globally, RCS has quietly positioned itself as the next-generation mobile communication standard.

Unlike standalone messaging platforms like WhatsApp, RCS doesn’t require users to download anything new. It works out of the box, linked to your phone number – a universal ID still more widely adopted than any username or email address.

“RCS offers a unique advantage: it doesn’t ask users to change their behavior. It upgrades what they already use – the native messaging service – into something smarter, more secure, and provides a more interactive experience,” says Piotr Kudzior, RCS Product Manager at MessageFlow.

When you combine that with rich media capabilities, verified business profiles, two-way conversations, payments, scheduling, and more, it’s not hard to imagine how RCS could evolve into something far greater than just a messaging protocol upgrade.

It might sound like a stretch but the foundation is already there.

To explore this future of customer communication, and to let our imagination run wild, I sat down with Piotr to map out how RCS could continue its transformation into a central pillar of digital customer experience.

Here’s what we envisioned.

What upgrades to RCS messaging could we see in the future?

The ideas explored below are not abstract predictions. They’re possibilities grounded in real trends and features already available with the channel. Each one is designed to unlock new business opportunities while enhancing end-user convenience and control.

Too ambitious? We don’t think so.

“What we’re looking at isn’t some far-off fantasy. Most of these ideas are technically feasible today. It’s more about aligning the ecosystem and making users familiar and comfortable with what RCS can offer,” adds Piotr Kudzior.

In our view, two main forces will shape the pace of evolution:

• Ongoing advancements in supporting technologies (AI, authentication protocols, mobile UX, etc.).
• Growing public awareness and trust in the channel, especially as more brands move towards RCS adoption.

With that in mind, here’s a look at how RCS services could evolve over the coming years. Each concept below can be seen as a standalone direction, or part of a larger transformation. Either way, RCS and the future of messaging are open and full of potential.

Adaptive conversational interfaces for business messaging

Personalization is no longer a nice-to-have in messaging, it’s the baseline. The era of generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns is over. So what’s next?

With its two-way foundation and native integration into Android’s messaging ecosystem, RCS is primed to evolve into an adaptive, user-aware interface capable of adjusting layout, tone, and content dynamically, in real time.

“Imagine RCS messages that feel like they were tailor-made for each recipient, not just in terms of content, but in how they look, feel, and respond. That’s where we may be heading,” explains Mr. Kudzior.

Here’s how it could work:

• AI-driven customization of message components based on user behavior, interaction history, or even integrations with other Google services like Gemini, Docs, Sheets, or Google Calendar, if permissions allow.

• Dynamic content delivery, where some users receive more visuals and interactivity (videos, carousels, rich media), while others receive more text-based or utility-focused formats. Especially in light of the European Accessibility Act.

• Asset mixing on the fly, similar to how Google Ads assembles the most relevant version of your message from multiple pre-fed inputs.

And with Google Pay, Maps, and Calendar already baked into Android, the opportunities for seamless utility inside the text messaging service are closer than we think.

A greater nod toward ecommerce

Rich Communication Services are already equipped with the tools to support sales and customer engagement – from rich media to actionable buttons and real-time two-way messaging. But its next chapter could move it beyond campaign delivery and into commerce enablement.

With carousels, suggested replies, quick actions, location sharing, and integrated payment options, RCS Business Messaging (RBM) offers something close to a fully functional micro-storefront inside a messaging thread.

“We already see brands using RCS to showcase products, handle queries, and even initiate transactions. The line between marketing and commerce is starting to blur and RCS is where that convergence can happen,” notes Piotr Kudzior.

Here’s where it could go next:

1. RCS as a mobile marketplace

Picture a single message thread where users can:

• Browse curated products from verified sellers.
• Compare dynamic offers.
• Add items to a cart from multiple vendors.
• Complete purchases via Google Pay, all without switching apps or creating new accounts.

The existing product carousel format hints at this, but there’s plenty of room to evolve into a lightweight marketplace interface embedded in the messaging experience.

2. Verified end-user profiles

So far, sender verification has done the heavy lifting in building trust. But what if recipients could also have verified accounts tied to their phone numbers?

That would enable:

• A personal commerce ID complete with saved payment methods, preferred parcel locker, and delivery options.
• Cross-retailer shopping carts with no need to register across multiple websites.
• Personalized communication based on shopping history and preferences.

Think of it as your digital business card for commerce, natively supported by the same platform you use to chat with friends and brands.

3. RCS for post-sale customer service

The ecommerce experience doesn’t stop at checkout and neither should RCS. Future use cases could include:

• Instant, paperless receipts sent directly to your messaging app.
• A centralized digital archive of receipts linked to your phone number.
• Simple tools for returns and exchanges. Just select the product, confirm, and receive your return label instantly via RCS.

This would not only streamline support but help brands automate post-purchase workflows while keeping everything within the RCS ecosystem.

As a transactional messaging channel, RCS holds enormous untapped potential, especially as businesses look to unify sales, service, and support in a single, trusted environment.

Proximity marketing and the phygital experience

One of the most compelling frontiers for RCS lies at the intersection of digital and physical commerce – the phygital experience.

By combining location-based services with the interactive capabilities of Rich Communication Services, brands could deliver ultra-relevant, contextual messages that bridge the gap between online browsing and offline purchasing.

Here’s a glimpse of how that could work:

Let’s say earlier in the week, you browsed an online store, added a few items to your cart, but didn’t check out. A few days later, as you walk past one of the brand’s brick-and-mortar locations, you receive an RCS message triggered by your proximity.

This message could:

• Remind you of the products you viewed.
• Show you a photo-rich carousel of those exact items.
• Display a map pinpointing the store (or even the shelf location).
• Offer a personalized discount code to seal the deal.

“The ability to trigger meaningful, real-time messages based on user location adds a whole new layer of relevance and RCS is the perfect vehicle for that phygital crossover,” points out Piotr Kudzior.

This kind of intelligent handoff – from digital cart to physical store – creates a seamless, value-driven customer experience. It’s not just proximity marketing, it’s context-aware messaging that closes the loop between channels and increases the likelihood of conversion.

And unlike push notifications or app-based alerts, RCS chat doesn’t require the user to install anything new. It meets them where they are – on a channel they already use and trust.

Increased trust and transaction safety within the messaging app

Trust is the backbone of any communication channel, especially one that’s poised to handle payments, personal data, and customer service. RCS already addresses this through sender verification and “verified” business badges, ensuring that users know they’re interacting with legitimate, approved brands.

But as in-message transactions become more common, expect trust signals to grow even more robust.

1. Next-level safety confirmers

To give users the confidence to complete high-value actions inside the messaging thread, we could see:

• Real-time identity confirmations, such as biometric authentication (face/fingerprint scan) triggered when initiating a purchase or sharing sensitive info.

• Transaction-level encryption notices, clearly indicating the security layer protecting the interaction.

• Trust scores or rating indicators, based on user feedback or historical sender behavior.

• Verified payment gateway integrations, where only trusted processors (e.g. Google Pay, Stripe, etc.) can be linked to RCS messages.

“In terms of security, the future of RCS messaging will go beyond the verified badge. It will be about creating layered confidence – visually, technically, and experientially,” Piotr tells me. 

2. A global sender registry

We may also see the emergence of a unified sender registry – a global database managed by a trusted consortium such as the GSMA. Brands would be issued a unique sender key, required to launch campaigns via CPaaS platforms.

Potential benefits of such a system include:

• Universal trust: A brand verified once could operate across all markets and carriers without duplicating onboarding processes.

• Greater interoperability: Senders could switch between CPaaS providers more easily while maintaining their verified status.

• Simplified compliance: One registry means streamlined alignment with global data protection and anti-spam regulations.

• Improved traceability: Authorities and carriers could quickly identify and block malicious actors without affecting legitimate campaigns.

Together, these changes would position RCS as a secure-by-design environment for both engagement and commerce, setting a new benchmark for what safe mobile messaging looks like in the 2020s.

The rise of personal user profiles

So far, RCS has largely focused on enabling business-to-consumer messaging. Brands initiate, and users respond. But what if we flipped that model?

In the near future, we could see the emergence of verified RCS user profiles, allowing individuals to proactively engage with businesses, service providers, and even public institutions through a secure, multimedia-rich channel.

Imagine a user not just passively receiving text messages, but leveraging RCS identity to:

• Interact with government agencies.
• Submit applications or documents.
• Receive official updates.
• Add legally recognized digital signatures.
• Store confirmations, approvals, and status updates, all in one organized, trusted thread.

“With the right identity layer, RCS could evolve into a secure, user-initiated platform for not only brand engagement, but civic and administrative interactions as well,” suggests Piotr Kudzior.

And this goes far beyond government use. A verified user profile could unlock:

• Healthcare access, including appointment scheduling, test result delivery, and even pre-screening forms.

• Educational services, like school notifications, grade reports, or university admissions processes.

• Utility and subscription management, where users can query, modify, or cancel services with a few taps.

• Digital credentials tied to phone numbers – certifications, licenses, or tickets stored and shareable via RCS.

When combined with RCS’s growing commercial features, the default messaging app begins to look a lot like the universal mobile interface Elon Musk imagined X to be – a centralized hub for customer interaction , commerce, identity, and services, all without needing to install or manage additional apps.

And because it’s phone number-based and pre-installed on billions of devices, RCS could become the most accessible digital front door to both public and private ecosystems.

In conclusion: The future of Rich Communication Services is already in motion

This article may have been a thought experiment but it wasn’t fiction

Every concept explored here is rooted in real technological capabilities, current user behaviors, and ongoing platform development. From adaptive conversational flows to phygital commerce and verified user identities, the potential of Rich Communication Services is no longer just on the horizon. It’s taking shape and coming right at us as we speak.

With 33 billion RBM (RCS Business Messaging) messages sent in 2024, and projections pointing to 50 billion in 2025 – fueled in part by Apple’s support for RCS across iPhones – this isn’t a niche channel. It’s a fast-scaling standard.

“RCS isn’t an experiment anymore. It’s a maturing communication ecosystem, one that businesses can actively shape, rather than just observe from the sidelines,” states Mr. Kudzior.

The momentum is clear. And for early adopters willing to integrate RCS, the opportunity is twofold.

• Shape how this channel evolves by being among the first to use it creatively.

• Build lasting customer trust by delivering secure, relevant, and immersive experiences before your competitors catch up.

So, if you’re a brand looking to elevate your customer communication, now is the time to move.

➡️ Start sending RCS campaigns.
➡️ Train your team.
➡️ Educate your audience.

Because the next generation of mobile messaging isn’t coming someday. It’s already being built. We’re here to usher it and help you in. Contact us to discuss how you can get started with your first RCS campaign and future-proof your messaging strategies.