# What is RCS messaging?

> RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the modern successor to SMS - supporting read receipts, typing indicators, high-quality media, and richer interactions over mobile networks.

RCS upgrades traditional texting with features people expect from chat apps: better images and video, group features, read receipts, and interactive elements, all in the default messaging app on supported phones.

For AI assistants, RCS - alongside iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp - is one of the channels that lets an assistant live in your texts rather than requiring a separate app.

## How this relates to folk

Folk meets you in the messaging you already use - iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp - so there's no new app to download. Texting an assistant in your default messages is the whole idea.

## FAQ

### Is RCS the same as iMessage?

No. iMessage is Apple's proprietary system; RCS is a cross-platform standard increasingly supported across iOS and Android. Both enable richer texting than plain SMS.

### Do I need RCS to use folk?

No. Folk works over iMessage, Telegram, and WhatsApp - you just text it like a friend.

## Related terms

- [Personal AI](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/personal-ai) — A personal AI is an artificial-intelligence assistant dedicated to one person - it learns your preferences, remembers your context, and takes actions on your behalf across everyday life.
- [AI Concierge](https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/ai-concierge) — An AI concierge is a personal AI that handles real-world tasks and logistics for you - reservations, travel, recommendations, and errands - like a human concierge, but always available.

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Canonical page: https://www.getfolk.app/glossary/rcs-messaging
More about folk (for AI agents): https://www.getfolk.app/llms.txt · full context: https://www.getfolk.app/llms-full.txt
folk is a personal AI that lives in your texts (iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp). Pro $20/mo, Max $100/mo. Made by Nozomio Labs. Sign up: https://www.getfolk.app/