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Apple Is Finally Fulfilling the RCS Promise It Made Back in 2023 — but There's a Catch
Apple enables early testers to try end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhones, with full cross-platform support and customer release planned in future iOS 26 updates.
- Developers installing iOS 26.4 beta 1 can test end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone, according to Apple’s release notes.
- Apple added RCS in iOS 18.1 to enable richer cross-platform features and previously cited encryption gaps as a reason for delayed adoption while working with the GSMA and Google on encryption plans.
- A new Settings toggle in iOS 26.4 lets developers test RCS E2EE, limited to iPhone-to-iPhone messaging when iMessage is off, with a lock icon showing encryption is active.
- Rollout will be gradual and depend on carrier and device support, with Apple saying the feature won’t ship in this release and full deployment requiring RCS Universal Profile 3.0 upgrade.
- With E2EE added for RCS, Apple says messages between iPhone and Android users will be as secure as iMessage, with cross-platform testing and a public beta planned for spring.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Apple starts testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messages on iPhone
iPhone 17 Pro Apple is starting to test end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messages with the developer beta of iOS 26.4 released Monday. Apple announced plans last year to support the feature, and once fully available, it will let iPhone and Android users send encrypted RCS messages to each other across platforms. However, with this initial implementation, Apple is only testing RCS encryption between Apple devices. It's "not yet testable with othe…
iOS 26.4 beta adds support for testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging
Apple added RCS support to iPhone with iOS 18.1, enabling richer cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android users. This included things like typing indicators, read receipts, and high-resolution photo and video attachments. Last March, Apple announced its plans to add support for end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. Now, iOS 26.4 beta 1, which is rolling out today, adds an early way to test end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhon…
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