Apple sharing RCS encryption with Android users
RCS 3.0 was officially unveiled by the GSMA, an association representing mobile network operators. On the face of it, it’s fairly boring news. However, this one is special because it’ll finally fix RCS messaging between Android and iOS users.
When Apple added RCS support to iOS 18, the company used an older version of the protocol. This caused chat messages between iPhone and Android users to be unencrypted. Fortunately, Apple has already agreed to update to the latest RCS protocol, thereby permanently fixing the issue.
“End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now we are pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA,” an Apple spokesperson told The Verge. “We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.”
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Google also confirmed to The Verge that it would support the new standard, making it the first time both Apple and Google did so at the same time. Google said it would work as quickly as possible to include it with Android.
The good news doesn’t stop there. RCS 3.0 also includes a handful of other useful privacy features. It’ll include end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. All these big, fancy words mean that text messages, images, and other file types will be encrypted before sending it over the network and can only be encrypted by the device receiving the message. In short, no one will get to see what you sent except the person receiving the message.
Of course, you’ll need to use the proper messaging apps. In this case, it would be Apple iMessage and Google Messages. Third party texting apps typically don’t support RCS at all right now, although that may change someday.
RCS 3.0 also includes improvements that make it easier for people to engage with businesses and chatbots, a boon in an era where businesses and scammers alike are using AI chatbots.
As a word of warning, the RCS protocol hasn’t left store shelves yet, metaphorically speaking. Currently, messages between Android and iOS users remain unencrypted until both companies can get it rolled out. There isn’t yet a firm date for that rollout.
