For years, I used to be a nuisance to anybody with an iPhone. Whereas I proudly toted my Samsung Galaxy units, my buddies would deplore the havoc I might wreak on any textual content or group chat by “turning all the pieces inexperienced.” There’s apparently nothing worse to an iMessage consumer than an Android consumer who crashes their valuable blue-bubble get together.
I’ve since given up the battle and switched to an iPhone, and now I reap the various advantages of iMessage, together with sending high-resolution pictures and movies, seeing typing indicators and sharing reactions. These perks are restricted to messaging fellow iPhone customers. I am now the one who, a lot to my chagrin, laments getting inexperienced texts from anybody on the “exterior.” Exclusivity brings out the worst in us.
Now that Apple has mentioned it will undertake Wealthy Communication Providers messaging, issues ought to get higher. RCS is a protocol that replaces SMS (Brief Message Service) and has a variety of the identical options as iMessage, together with typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing and end-to-end encryption. It is already out there throughout Android units and, after years of strain from iPhone customers, opponents and lawmakers alike, Apple has mentioned it will undertake RCS on iPhones, too.
Even supposing Apple barely acknowledged the approaching arrival of RCS on iPhones throughout this 12 months’s Worldwide Builders Convention keynote, the replace is slated to develop into out there to the general public within the fall with iOS 18. It is now rolling out with iOS 18 developer beta 2, 9to5Mac earlier reported.
Here is all the pieces to learn about how Apple’s adoption of RCS may enhance messaging.
Apple’s RCS texting screenshot reveals a “delivered” standing replace, media and some inexperienced bubbles. Whereas it’d look loads like a present MMS dialog, it is seemingly the largest enchancment a non-iMessage dialog has seen in years on the iPhone.
RCS will substitute SMS texting on iPhones
When RCS arrives on iPhones, it ought to remodel fundamental messaging with Android customers right into a extra fashionable, subtle expertise by changing SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Apple shared a primary take a look at the brand new functionality on its iOS 18 preview web page after WWDC, and here is what we all know to this point.
As an alternative of getting small, grainy pictures and movies from Android buddies, you may see high-quality media. RCS may even carry perks like learn and delivered receipts, in keeping with a screenshot Apple posted.
In keeping with customers on X who’ve been utilizing the brand new RCS functionality with iOS 18 developer beta 2, iPhone homeowners may even see typing indicators when texting buddies on Android.
However there is a massive caveat: Adopting RCS will not resolve the blue-bubble-green-bubble difficulty. iMessage will proceed to be out there solely to Apple’s prospects, that means texting anybody who would not have an iPhone will nonetheless be a separate (however hopefully extra comparable) expertise.
And sure, texts with Android customers will nonetheless be inexperienced. You may simply have to deal with it.
Some options will stay unique to iMessage or Google’s Messages app. For example, when you can edit or unsend texts in iMessage, you most likely will not give you the chance to take action for messages despatched by way of RCS. And Google Messages-exclusive options like drafting texts utilizing the Gemini AI mannequin seemingly will not switch throughout units both. It is also not clear but whether or not messages despatched throughout Android telephones and iPhones shall be end-to-end encrypted.
Nonetheless, this replace ought to make messaging throughout Android telephones and iPhones really feel much less archaic.
When will RCS develop into out there on iPhones?
Apple hasn’t shared precise timing, nevertheless it must be out there within the fall with the discharge of iOS 18.
Even earlier than the WWDC keynote, Google appeared to have by accident leaked RCS’s arrival on iPhones in a touchdown web page for Google Messages. In keeping with 9to5Google, the search big famous the brand new messaging protocol is “coming quickly on iOS” and that “Apple has introduced it will likely be adopting RCS within the fall of 2024.” This point out has since been eliminated, nevertheless it’s as if Google can hardly include its pleasure.
Will the DOJ’s antitrust go well with open up iMessage?
In a sweeping grievance in opposition to Apple, the US Division of Justice accuses the iPhone maker of hindering competitors, delving into a spread of practices it sees as monopolistic. This consists of allegations that Apple “undermines cross-platform messaging” by not extending its iMessage service to Android.
Apple has maintained that conserving iMessage unique to its personal units is within the curiosity of consumer privateness and safety, noting it would not be capable of be sure that encryption and authentication measures on third-party units meet its requirements. It is also pointed to the corporate’s ongoing work to assist RCS, which it says will permit for an improved messaging expertise with non-iPhone customers.
And if that is not sufficient to make individuals blissful, Apple famous the vary of different messaging platforms individuals can use to speak throughout units, together with WhatsApp, Messenger and Snapchat. However, relying on the place you reside, it is likely to be extra intuitive to achieve for the native textual content app in your telephone, whether or not that is Apple’s iMessage or Google Messages.
Whether or not the DOJ’s grievance will pressure Apple to open up its walled backyard stays to be seen. The European Union has additionally been making use of strain on Apple and different tech giants as a part of its Digital Markets Act, which is designed to advertise truthful and open competitors within the tech sector. Earlier this 12 months, the EU decided Apple’s messaging platform would not qualify as a “gatekeeper” service, that means it will not have to attach immediately with different chat apps. (In the meantime, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger apps do fall beneath the EU’s gatekeeper label and can subsequently have to permit for conversations throughout different providers.) Time — years, maybe — will inform how Apple fares within the face of the DOJ’s allegations and whether or not or not adjustments are in retailer for iMessage.
Within the meantime, iPhone and Android customers alike can discover reprieve in Apple’s imminent adoption of RCS, which ought to hopefully make speaking to your mates on totally different units much less painful. And even when the texts keep inexperienced, hopefully the grass on the opposite facet seems to be rather less so.
