Apple has announced that it will support the Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging standard on iPhones starting in 2024. This decision is a response to mounting pressure from both regulatory bodies and competitors, such as Google and Samsung.
Everyone deserves to communicate with each other in ways that are modern and secure, no matter what phone they have. That’s why we have worked closely with the mobile industry to accelerate the adoption of RCS, and we’re happy to see Apple take their first step today by coming on…
— Google Communications (@Google_Comms) November 16, 2023
The RCS Universal Profile will offer enhanced compatibility for text messaging between iPhone and Android users, providing features like encryption, read receipts, typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing, and more. This development aims to alleviate the long-standing issues related to texting between iPhones and Android devices, often referred to as the "green bubble" problem.
NEW: Apple says RCS is coming to iOS in ’24: “We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) November 16, 2023
However, it's essential to note that despite this change, messages sent from iPhones to Android devices will still appear as green bubbles in Apple's Messages app. Apple emphasized that RCS support will complement iMessage, which will remain the preferred and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.
This shift comes in response to mounting regulatory pressure, notably the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which seeks to ensure interoperability between major tech platforms. Apple's decision to support RCS aligns with these regulatory developments but doesn't involve making iMessage available on Android platforms.