It turns out that Android phone users can rename group chats for all participating iPhone owners thanks to RCS.
So people in the USA are just now finding out how pretty much every other messaging app behaves
Redditor Dane Gleessak noted that if someone with an Android phone changes the name of a group text, the name will be changed for iOS users in the group text as well. That’s a major change compared to Google Messages on Android, which allows you to rename group texts for your eyes only.
That last part isn’t true, you’ve been able to rename RCS group chats for everyone for a long time. If you try to change the name, it even warns you that everyone else will see it. My parents both have Android phones, so I have an RCS group chat with them, and any changes I make to our group name will appear for them too.
If you’ve never had an RCS group chat before, which would have previously required every member to be using Android, I can see why someone might think this is a new feature though. Prior to the new iOS update, if you had an iPhone in the chat, things would fall-back to using MMS, which doesn’t support group names, so only you would see it.
you’ve been able to rename RCS group chats for everyone for a long time.
Is it not supremely embarrassing to read something like this from a publication called “Android Authority” using a random Reddit user as a source, and ALSO being incorrect? Shouldn’t anyone who actually uses Android know this, much less a tech publication?
I believe they meant MMS groups on Google Messages not RCS groups. So previously the MMS group name was only for you, now the RCS will change both. Unless I’m misreading the article.
It didn’t really specify that, so I read it as the author implying that Android users need to be careful now because even though other Android users can’t see your group names, iOS users now can.
They say
It’s worth noting that Apple has long allowed anyone to change the name of a group text in iMessage as long as everyone in the group was using an iOS device. So RCS in iOS 18 effectively extends this capability to Android device owners.
Which sounds like the author is thinking about this backwards. The iOS update didn’t extend the group renaming feature to Android users, iOS actually added Android’s group renaming feature. For a while now, as long as everyone in your group was using an Android device with RCS, they could all see and change the group name. I think the author must not have realized that this was a thing until now because it was less likely for every group member to be on Android than it was for them to all be on iOS.
Like I said I don’t think he meant RCS when talking about not being able to change the name. Now that its all RCS of course it will show on all devices now. He is just pointing out that, before, when changing the name IOS didn’t see it, and now they do.
Honestly it’s kind of annoying. I want to name the chat after their relationship to me. Coming up with something that we all have in common with each other is a lot harder
Yeah, I have the same issue with WhatsApp. I have a group with my wife and parents that my parents just called myfirstname/wifefirstname, which makes no sense to us (on our end we’d like to call it ‘jonne’s parents’ or whatever).
Same with any other group chat we’d like to start that includes a tradie or whatever.
I’m sure it’s fun for your average plumber to have 50 different group chats with clients that are all called ‘plumber’.
On the other hand though it is nice to have a common name. Like I’m in a group with the other parents of kids at my kid’s daycare. Sometimes you want the name to be common, sometimes you want it to be individual.
What does the name being common in that case get you that individual doesn’t? The only thing I can think of is not having to take the trouble to name it yourself, which is such a minor thing.
Like when new people join, they know they’re in the right place
A default group name, which can be changed individually would be great.
Or just have a common name, but allow people to put in a group nickname that only applies to them.
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Not in any texting app I’ve seen. My MMS groups in Google Messages don’t let me name the group for everyone.
Just use Signal, but very few people use Signal
On the same boat. People flat out refuse to use signal and just keep using sms… 🤬
Or if you’re here in Europe, WhatsApp and FB Messenger 🤪
Hate meta, but I’d still prefer WhatsApp over sms any day
Yeah I’ve been thinking about this. The group chat with my inlaws is called “PIL” for parents in law. I’ll have to come up with something else. But there are so many iterations of family groups chats. Parents in law, parents, siblings, siblings in law, and every combo thereof
“Family I like talking to”
“Family I deal with”
“Family I’m obligated to talk to”
And then let them fight out who renamed the group if they miss the notification.
