Building on a standard we have known for 10 years.

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It has been ten years since the RCS (rich communication suite) technology was first presented. The hope was that the world's mobile users could chat with each other within a few years, regardless of application, mobile phone and operator - an alternative to today's instant messaging services and SMS.

But things have taken time. RCS must be primarily supported by mobile operators, and the RCS standard itself has not been more rigid than different operators have implemented variants of RCS that do not interchangeably work with each other.

Now Google tries to clean up this once and for all, through a "Universal Profile" for RCS. Outside, the service is simply referred to as "Chat".

Part of the goal is that Chat should be an alternative to Apple's iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and similar services. Another thing is that Chat will be the heir to SMS. But it will not happen unless it always works and is supported by all mobile phones.

It's important to be aware that Chat is an operator service and not a Google service. But it will be turned on by default in the Google Messages app, of course.

Like iMessage, but not as safe
Chat should in many ways act as iMessage in Apple's universe. So when messages, pictures, videos, or the like are sent from one user to another, the data quota will not be on the SMS or MMS quota.

The exception is when the recipient does not support Chat - then the message will be converted to the SMS or MMS standard so that they receive it.

However, an important difference from competing standards is that Chat will not be encrypted. That is, what is sent in theory can be picked up by people, organizations or authorities who understand that way.

Telenor, Telia and Ice are included
Whenever Chat may work as well and universally as Google imagines, it's hard to say anything about it. Google itself has said that they are launching a launch window of six to twelve months.

Initially, it must be implemented with mobile operators. Telenor rolled out a RCS variant last year - but it calls "SMS +" - and on the list of supporters we also find Ice and Telia.

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But today, this only works on Android mobile phones of recent date, with Google's messaging application installed and enabled.

Then, of course, we have the big, silent elephant in the room: Apple. At this point they will not say anything about whether they plan to support or not to support the standard.