Yeah. I don't really think it's better either. I just think it'll fall flat on its face like Google's many many previous attempts at messaging unless they actually tell people it exists.
RCS done properly would be nice. I'd very much like to not be sending my messages through meta. Google's implementation, however, just trades one American giant for another.
With an app it is just me, the app and whatever internet connection I have.
With SMS&co instead I have to deal with a system outside that, managed by the phone company and whatever.
Also apps are constantly updated, RCS standard will just become SMS2.
Even iPhone users use an app in USA, it is only USA android users that for some random reasons are still stuck to SMS.
Here I just open telegram or whatsapp and message with anyone, no matter the phone. Or discord, or Matrix...
True. But the for the last part, but the argument for RCS is the same. But more so. You'd know you could just message them using it and you wouldn't need to know if they were using WhatsApp discord. No matter what their phone would have RCS, or would fall back to SMS.