Apple will improve the RCS messaging experience by adding cross-platform encryption support. The company’s announcement comes as the GSM Association unveiled the latest RCS standard.
The new standard brings end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol.
RCS texting between Android and iPhone will soon get safer
Apple initially announced it would bring RCS to iPhone for a better texting experience in mid-November 2023. It eventually rolled out the feature with iOS 18 in September 2024. Although RCS offers numerous benefits and enhances the texting experience between Android and iPhone, it lacks end-to-end encryption. This creates a major privacy risk, leaving your messages vulnerable to interception by hackers and malicious actors.
With the GSM Association unveiling a new RCS specification with encryption support, Apple has confirmed it will integrate this security feature into its operating systems later this year.
In a statement to The Verge, Apple’s spokesperson Shane Bauer said, “End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now we are pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA. We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.”
Latest RCS profile packs several enhancements
While Apple did not provide a more specific release timeline, it’s safe to assume E2EE RCS messaging will come to the iPhone with iOS 19 later this year.
In its announcement, the GSM Association highlighted other improvements RCS Universal Profile 3.0 brings. This includes improved codes for audio messaging and a richer deep link format for business texts. Apple should also add these improvements to the Messages app later this year.
