Forget iOS 18—Millions Of iPhone Users Now Have RCS Messaging
What major change is Apple expected to introduce in iOS 18 concerning iMessage?
Apple is expected to introduce support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) in iMessage with the release of iOS 18. RCS is an advanced messaging protocol that will improve the functionality of iMessage when communicating with Android users5. This update will bring features like read receipts, typing indicators, and better quality image sharing when messaging between iPhone and Android devices. However, it should be noted that while RCS is end-to-end encrypted on Android, it will not be on iPhone, as there has been no talk of Apple and Google collaborating to bridge iMessage to Google Messages encryption.
Why will RCS not be end-to-end encrypted on iPhones, unlike on Android devices?
RCS will not be end-to-end encrypted on iPhones because Google's encryption layer is a proprietary add-on, and there has been no talk yet of Apple and Google collaborating to bridge iMessage to Google Messages encryption1. Apple plans to work with the GSMA to develop a more secure form of encryption that is baked natively into RCS, instead of using Google's encryption. Currently, RCS messages on iPhones will not be as secure as iMessage conversations, which use Advanced Data Protection for end-to-end encryption3.
What is RCS and how does it differ from SMS?
RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol that serves as an upgrade to the traditional SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). RCS offers a more feature-rich experience, including the ability to send high-resolution images, videos, GIFs, location data, and more, as well as providing group chat functionality, delivery and read receipts, and message encryption.
While SMS sends messages over the cellular network and is limited to 160 characters per message, RCS requires data connectivity (either cellular data or Wi-Fi) and offers a more enhanced messaging experience with no practical character limit3. SMS does not support encryption, while RCS can be encrypted, depending on the sending and receiving app.
Another key difference is that SMS is available on virtually every mobile phone, whereas RCS has more specific requirements, such as device and carrier support. Major carriers and smartphones, including Android devices, support RCS, but Apple's iPhone does not currently support it. However, Apple has committed to supporting RCS on iPhones by late 2024.