Final 12 months, Apple confirmed that it’d be supporting end-to-end encryption with RCS in a future software program replace. On the time, iOS 18 was nonetheless the newest model of iOS – thus implying that the improve would come as a part of the subsequent spherical of software program – iOS 26.
To this point, end-to-end encryption is but to ship. That’s not the one factor although. The improve to end-to-end encryption would’ve additionally necessitated different main upgrades to the RCS protocol, and as of iOS 26.3 RC, it’s all nonetheless lacking.
Finish-to-end encryption
For reference, Apple shipped probably the most barebones model of the RCS protocol after they launched it with iOS 18. They utilized model 2.4, which solely dealt with the fundamentals – like learn receipts, larger high quality images, and typing indicators. It didn’t have any kind of end-to-end encryption at launch, primarily as a result of the open RCS normal didn’t have it but – not till model 3.0.
Final March, Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that they’d be supporting RCS end-to-end encryption, simply shortly after the discharge of RCS model 3.0:
Finish-to-end encryption is a robust privateness and safety expertise that iMessage has supported for the reason that starting, and now we’re happy to have helped lead a cross business effort to carry end-to-end encryption to the RCS Common Profile revealed by the GSMA. We are going to add help for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software program updates.
Whereas end-to-end encryption is the important thing factor Apple highlights with RCS model 3.0, there’s a lot of different new options that RCS on iPhone will acquire as a part of the improve.
RCS 2.7 upgrades
As talked about prior, iOS at present makes use of RCS model 2.4. With RCS model 2.7, the protocol applied a lot of large upgrades, bringing it extra in par with different trendy texting platforms, similar to iMessage:
- In-line replies
- Correct help for reactions
- Customized reactions
- Capability to edit messages
- Capability to delete/recall messages
As of now, RCS on iPhone does help reactions, although not correctly. At the moment, it’s merely parsing a fallback textual content that claims one thing alongside the traces of ‘Person added x response to message’ – relatively than correctly dealing with an emoji response.
Past that, the power to edit, delete, and in-line reply to messages between iPhone and Android can be an enormous plus.
Wrap up
Not too long ago, a couple of French service bundles launched alongside iOS 26.3 beta 2 shared one thing attention-grabbing: some carriers will be capable of allow end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging by default.
This in itself is fairly cool, but it surely additionally means one factor: these RCS upgrades are doubtless coming very quickly, more than likely alongside the primary iOS 26.4 betas later this month. The brand new service bundles counsel Apple is prepping for the function to be obtainable fairly quickly, although not in iOS 26.3.
What do you concentrate on RCS messaging? Are you wanting ahead to those upgrades? Pontificate within the feedback.
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