Google has announced that it will be turning off RCS' (Rich Communication Services) Business Messaging feature following user complaints of the service being used to deliver unwanted ads, according to a report in The Verge. Why it matters: The service is available all over the world but it is the first time that it has been disabled in any country. The move may discourage companies in other countries from exploiting the service to inundate users with promotional messages. Understanding RCS' Business Messaging feature: The businesses used RCS’ business messaging feature to deliver promotional ads. The feature lets verified businesses send messages to users that go beyond a typical text, with images and interactive features, as per Google. It was touted as an upgrade over SMS which was merely a string of words but RCS could include “branding, rich media, interactivity, and analytics”. The feature was meant to be used as a way to communicate with users for purposes of sending copies of travel tickets or links for buying additional products based on a user's past purchase. Why did Google ban tbe feature: A spokesperson from Google India told Android Authority: “We are aware that some businesses are abusing our anti-spam policies to send promotional messages to users in India. We are disabling this feature in India while we work with the industry to improve the experience for users.” Is this ban permanent: The ban seems to be a temporary one until Google can find a way to address the spam from…
