Apple’s long-awaited adoption of RCS messaging to enable better and safer communications between iPhone and Android users will finally happen this autumn.
The news comes via a Google Messages homepage (via 9to5Google) that promises “better messaging for all” when Apple does add the Rich Communications Services standard.
The page also says Apple has announced when it’ll happen:
“Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone.”
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However, Apple is yet to publicly confirm this, despite what Google says. While Apple has said the adoption will happen “later” in 2024, it has not narrowed this down to a window.
Autumn wouldn’t be a surprise though. There are expectations Apple will include RCS for iPhone in the forthcoming iOS 18 update, which is due this September.
If that is the case, we’re likely to hear about RCS on iPhone in June when Apple takes the stage for the WWDC keynote where it is likely to reveal iOS 18’s key features.
When RCS does arrive on the iPhone, it’ll somewhat (but not completely) level the playing field between iPhone and Android users when it comes to texting.
Although iPhone-to-iPhone messaging will still be handled by iMessage, but messages across platforms will benefit from high res photos and videos, live typing indicators, read reports, proper reactions, and end-to-end encryption.
It’s a long overdue concession from Apple, which has long been accused to fostering an inferior cross-platform messaging experience to encourage iMessage (and hence iPhone adoption).
Now Apple has EU regulators sniffing around all aspects of its business to ensure it isn’t abusing its dominant market position, Apple has compromised by adopting RCS to replace the ancient and, frankly, unsafe SMS standard.
