Even so you'd think they'd want to get as many people as possible on board with RCS to increase adoption, not fewer.

I agree. You're much better off just using Signal. It's not federated/decentralized, but all client apps, the protocol and the server code are completely open source and anyone can fork the project. It also works on every platform, its encryption protocol is the most secure one out there and it's been around for over 10 years. They also recently added some cool new privacy features.

• Less bloat ware/spy ware - custom ROMs don't come prepackaged with random shady games from shady companies or random shady social media apps from shady social media companies.

• Better privacy and security implementations along with DeGoogling - a lot of ROMs offer Gappless ROMs which is really important since Google is way to big and has too much influence on android OEMs and its easily the biggest ad company in the world and constantly refused to respect peoples privacy. e.g GrapheneOS https://grapheneos.org/features and DivestOS https://divestos.org/

• Long term software support to help against e-waste e.g LineageOS supports so many phones who's manufacturers have stopped supplying software updates. https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

• Customization e.g Crdroid includes loads of custom settings from a variety of other custom ROMs and OEM ROMs that rarely get implemented by any stock ROMs. https://crdroid.net/

• Rooting android phones gives users the ability to access system files that they may not have been able to backup if the apps don't support it. It also allows for a full system backup and restore

• It also allows users to block ads and unwated connections without using a local VPN e.g adaway

Enabling Google to dictate what a user can do with their own device by limiting features is a slippery slope and the last thing we want to happen is for Android to end up like iOS with its walled garden approach.

You want an example? GrapheneOS, to take back my privacy.

Speak for yourself.

for me , privacy. no google services run in my phone, and none od my data gets shared with anyone

Because it's my device, not Googles.

Do you let Dell lock down your laptop and prevent you creating an Admin account?

Because it's my fucking phone.

Custom "rom"s extend the life of the device via both security updates and app compatibility. They're usually able to be used without propriety Google shit at all, if the person wants.

Just rooting allows more control over what is and isn't on the device, which goes back to the "my fucking phone" factor as well as the rest.

Yeah, you can partially debloat via adb, but that's a partial solution to a systematic problem.

And that's ignoring apps that can do more with root, if you want them to have those abilities.

Edit: hell, just access to hosts file is enough justification.

Delete bloatware or just straight up remove all of the Google services

Custom roms: I don't want google service on my device.

As to rooting, I have rooted in the passed, its my device and I'm a tinkerer so why not?

Might as well ask why people run linux after buying a laptop with pre installed windows.

How do you keep a phone more than 5 years while still having security updates without a custom ROM?

Good news.

The more people they keep from using this garbage "standard", the better.

It still requires a phone number. It still falls back to SMS, it still fails, a LOT - just see the comments in this thread.

It's 20 years too late.

XMPP was better, in 2010, than RCS is today. I was using XMPP on my phone in 2010, messaging people on computers, seamlessly. Without a phone number. On multiple services using Pidgin.

No thanks, I don't want this garbage called RCS.

The hype is because America won't switch to Internet messaging by default and only wants one app to message with. So SMS is the only primary option for that. Meaning lower resolution media, and a lack of modern features like read receipts and typing indicators.