The arrival of RCS on iPhone: What to expect

Main points

• RCS will bridge the messaging gap between iPhone and Android.
• RCS messages will remain richly formatted across platforms.
• Apple’s iMessage will not change, RCS messages will be green like SMS.

Google’s goal of making Rich Communication Services (RCS) a universal messaging protocol is getting closer to reality. When RCS support for iPhone launches later next year, SMS and MMS restrictions will no longer plague the exchange of messages between iPhone and Android users.

While availability may still fluctuate between carriers, all three major U.S. carriers support RCS, and the vast majority of carriers around the world have followed suit. Therefore, starting in 2024, iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 users will be able to exchange RCS messages. The same is true for any iPhone and Android phone that supports RCS.

Starting in 2024, iPhone 15 and Pixel 8 users will be able to exchange RCS messages. The same is true for any iPhone and Android phone that supports RCS.

What’s the practical difference for Apple and Android users? Despite the many clear advantages, there are still some unanswered questions surrounding iPhone support for RCS.

RCS will bridge the gap between Android and Apple

Messages from Android users look the same on iPhone

One of the most significant advantages of RCS is its ability to provide a consistent messaging experience across different platforms and devices. Unlike other messaging solutions that rely on proprietary protocols, RCS operates as an open standard supported by the GSMA, ensuring interoperability between different networks and devices. This means messages sent via RCS will retain their rich format and functionality, whether received on an iPhone, Android device or any other RCS-enabled platform.

Messages sent via RCS will retain their rich format and functionality whether received on an iPhone, Android device, or any other RCS-enabled platform.

The addition of RCS support is expected to bring several enhancements to communications between iPhone and Android smartphones, including:

1. Improve the quality of your photos and videos
2. Integration of audio messages
3. Show typing indicator
4. Read receipt visibility
5. Ability to send messages using Wi-Fi
6. Position sharing within text threads
7. Enhancements in group chats, including option for iPhone users to exit conversations involving Android users

These modern features are already available in iMessage and many third-party messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Unlike traditional SMS, RCS works seamlessly over mobile data or Wi-Fi connections.

iMessage isn’t going anywhere

And it definitely won’t come to Android

Despite Apple’s adoption of RCS, the company said iMessage will remain unchanged. It will remain the primary messaging platform exclusively for communication between iPhone users. RCS, on the other hand, will simply replace SMS and MMS and coexist independently of iMessage while being accessible. According to Apple, SMS and MMS messages will still be available as fallback options if necessary.

Apple’s move does not mean opening iMessage to other platforms

Instead, the company is adopting RCS as a separate initiative separate from iMessage. This development does not mean iMessage will be available on Android devices. Instead, it introduced an Android counterpart to iMessage on the iPhone platform.

The bubble war will continue for now

The color of RCS messages will not be the same as the color of iMessage

Apple has been facing pressure from different directions to make its products more compatible with other brands. For example, Apple may be adopting RCS amid growing pressure from the EU after the Digital Markets Act highlighted the need for seamless interoperability of messaging apps.

Recent reports indicate that Apple intends to appeal to the European Union over the inclusion of its App Store and iMessage services in the Digital Markets Act. Nonetheless, Apple is proactively addressing any potential regulatory challenges with its recent announcements.

The distinction between blue and green bubbles in messaging has also sparked some debate. All Apple users know that iMessage bubbles appear blue, while default SMS bubbles appear green. Therefore, Android users will see different colors when they receive messages. Critics argue that this disparity means Android phones are of lower quality to consumers.

So, what color will the RCS message be?

According to Apple, RCS messages will be green like SMS messages, which is surprising since the company has already come under scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice and the European Union for potential antitrust violations. Fortunately, fixing this problem would be easy if a court ruled that all bubbles must follow the same hue.

RCS must tighten security

RCS should use end-to-end encryption

Apple has always emphasized that iMessage has a significantly higher level of security and privacy than RCS. iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, which Apple recently enhanced by introducing advanced message data protection on iCloud. In contrast, Apple said the encryption technology currently used by RCS does not match the robustness of iMessage security measures.

Apple is committed to working with GSMA members to enhance the RCS protocol, with a particular focus on strengthening the security and encryption standards for RCS messages. Apple has clarified that it will avoid implementing any proprietary end-to-end encryption layer on top of RCS. Rather, the company’s efforts are to improve the RCS standard itself.

In contrast, Google’s end-to-end encryption approach is integrated into the messaging app on Android and is not inherent to the RCS specification itself. Hopefully this will change soon.

We’ll likely learn more at WWDC 2024 on June 10, when Apple is expected to launch iOS 18. RCS is likely to officially land on iPhone this fall. This gives the GSMA, Google and Apple time to make RCS more secure.