- A new version of RCS is on the way that will allow encrypted messaging between iOS and Android
- Apple has previously never offered encrypted messaging outside the iMessage standard
- This follows Apple’s adoption of unencrypted RCS last year
A new announcement from the GSM Association confirms Apple is bringing end-to-end encryption to RCS messaging on iPhone for the first time, marking a major step for cross-platform communications.
Encrypted messaging on iPhone was previously limited to Apple’s own iMessage standard, which is only available to Apple users and as such is only possible between two or more iPhones or other Apple devices.
Apple initially enabled RCS on iPhone in 2024, after 17 years of forcing iPhone users to text other platforms over SMS, with the caveat that end-to-end encryption would not be an available feature.
Now, the GSM Association – the non-profit industry body that represents the world’s mobile network operators – confirms that a multitude of industry partners, including Apple, have collaborated on a new RCS standard that supports end-to-end encryption across multiple platforms.
Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer told The Verge: “We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.”
RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services, has been the standard of choice for the Android phones for a few years now, but Apple has been slow to adopt the universally available communication protocol.
From the beginnings of the iPhone in 2007 up until last year, Apple only allowed iPhones to text other kinds of phones over SMS, which offers no encryption and very limited options for sharing media.
End-to-end encryption, where messages are only displayed in deciphered form to senders and recipients, is a key selling point of RCS and a proudly-touted feature of other major messaging services like WhatsApp.
My take: a win for everybody
As TechRadar’s mobile computing staff writer, I see my fair share of Apple cynicism, but having gotten my frustration at Apple for delaying the adoption of RCS mostly out of my system last year, I’m feeling optimistic about this latest announcement.
As the iOS and Android ecosystems continue to diversify, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the duopoly of Apple and Google isn’t going away any time soon, and with the best iPhones and the best Android phones all offering top-flight performance and feature sets, its likely the people in your life will represent a blend of the two user bases.
This new version of RCS is a win for everybody: better communication over a secure channel, without the need for third-party apps. I’m particularly glad that less tech-savvy users will be able to rely on Apple’s default Messages app to keep their texts and sent media secure.
I’m also glad to see Apple showing a bit of willingness to collaborate with its rival for the greater benefit of its user base. Apple continues to show itself as a company that genuinely cares about user privacy – even if, we recently saw in the UK, that means battling with governments to achieve its vision of data protection.
What do you think of this announcement? Is Apple on the right track, or is this too little, too late? Let us know in the comments.
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