RCS should have been that, but WhatsApp came out in 2009 and by 2010/2011 it was already game over in most of the world once cheaper Android smartphones became broadly available. At this point carriers' focus had shifted to data and the most pressing issue was starting the 4G rollout.
No wonder Google eventually took the RCS matter in their own hands, there was way too little incentive otherwise.
No wonder Google eventually took the RCS matter in their own hands, there was way too little incentive otherwise.