I’m not a fan of the “war” between Android and Apple when it comes to SMS/texting. The rest of the world doesn’t use SMS/RCS/iMessage as much as WhatsApp and the like, so the US is pretty much lagging behind everyone else on this anyway.
That being said, I have to admit Android did a good job with this!
They’re not “free”, many places still charge per SMS. Even if your country doesn’t, you NEED an SMS plan, which costs more than a basic data-only plan. SMS is extremely unsecure. They don’t work “everywhere”, especially if you’re travelling, and your country charges extreme fees to receive SMS out of country (for reference, Canadian carriers charge $15/day to use your phone outside Canada. That’s one expensive ass text…).
That being said, I think it’s crazy that a large portion of Europe has adopted WhatsApp. I wouldn’t touch that Meta garbage with a 100 kilometre pole.
If it doesn’t work everywhere, then the phone company is actively unlocking it, as it relies on the management frames in the cellular protocol - it’s embedded in cell architecture.