Just Like Android Phones, Apple's iPhones Will Now Support RCS Messaging: All You Need To Know

The RCS support is intended to complement iMessage, which Apple asserts will continue to provide the premier and most secure messaging experience for its users.

Apple has disclosed its plans to integrate support for the RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging standard on iPhones, aligning with the widely-used format on most Android devices. The tech giant revealed that this update is scheduled for implementation in the latter part of 2024, according to a statement provided to 9to5Mac.

Apple emphasised the potential for enhanced interoperability in cross-platform messaging through RCS. A spokesperson for the company shared insights, stating, "Later next year, we will be incorporating support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard currently endorsed by the GSM Association. We anticipate that RCS Universal Profile will deliver an improved interoperability experience compared to SMS or MMS."

The RCS support is intended to complement iMessage, which Apple asserts will continue to provide the premier and most secure messaging experience for its users. This strategic move by Apple comes in response to regulatory pressures, including initiatives such as the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), as well as competition from major players like Google and Samsung. RCS is recognised for bringing iMessage-style features to cross-platform text communication.

The adoption of RCS on iPhones could potentially introduce advanced functionalities such as encryption, read receipts, typing indicators, and the seamless exchange of high-resolution images and videos in text messages exchanged between iPhones and Android devices. Apple has also confirmed that users will be able to share locations in text threads, and RCS messages will be denoted by a green colour, akin to SMS messages.

RCS is positioned to replace SMS and MMS, coexisting independently from iMessage whenever it is available.

The move by Apple follows the initiation of an investigation by the European Commission into iMessage in September, exploring whether it should be classified as a "core platform service." Apple contends that iMessage lacks significant popularity in Europe, challenging the applicability of certain regulatory rules.

Google and Samsung, both proponents of RCS, have been advocating for Apple to integrate support for this messaging standard.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's SVP of platforms and ecosystems, expressed satisfaction with Apple's decision, stating, "Everybody should have secure and modern messaging without worrying about what kind of phone they're texting to. So glad to see Apple joining our ongoing work with the GSMA on RCS to make texting better for all."