- Google is rolling out a new text file feature for Pixel phones
- Allows companies to comply with regulations in the event of legal disputes
- But since all the texts are archived, your boss may be able to read what you say.
Do you have a Google Pixel phone provided by the company you work for? If so, your boss may soon be able to read your RCS messages thanks to an upcoming change to the Google Messages app on Android.
As set out in a Google blog post, the Android RCS Archival feature will allow company-managed Pixel phones (and “other supported Android Enterprise devices”) to integrate third-party archiving apps into Google Messages so they can back up every text you pass through. That includes messages both sent and received, as well as texts that are edited or deleted.
The measure is being taken to help companies comply with strict regulations on record-keeping and legal requests that may involve employee communications. Right now, Google says file providers Celltrust, Smarsh, and 3rd Eye are on board, and that “more file apps will be coming soon in 2026.”
Before the introduction of Android RCS Archival, it could be difficult for businesses to comply with these regulations due to the end-to-end encryption features built into RCS, which meant that messages sent between devices could not be read by anyone except their senders and recipients. Companies relied on carriers to record messages that might be needed in the event of a legal dispute or data request, but with end-to-end encryption, they couldn’t do so.
Why is it happening?
With Android RCS Archival, registration is much easier. It also means that businesses can use RCS and all of its modern features (like read receipts, write indicators, and more) instead of having to rely on older, less capable SMS and MMS platforms.
However, since every message is collected and archived, there is a concern that your boss could read every text you’ve typed in Google Messages on your work phone.
Still, it’s done in a fairly transparent way, as Google says that “employees will see a clear notification on their device whenever the archiving feature is active.” That means there shouldn’t be any stealth logs that you don’t know about. Archiving is done directly on each device and not in the cloud either, meaning end-to-end encryption is preserved.
Still, since there’s a chance your boss can read any message you write, you might want to flag those snarky comments when you’re using your work phone, or start looking for one of the more secure smartphones.
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