Apple is finally bringing the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol to the iPhone with the upcoming iOS 18 update. This move aims to enhance the messaging experience between iOS and Android users, which has been a long-standing issue due to the lack of RCS support. Without RCS, text messages between iOS and Android users may appear blurry, get shortened, or lack end-to-end encryption.

At the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple announced its plans to introduce RCS support to iPhones. This update will bring several new features to texting with Android users, including higher-quality media sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators – features that were previously unavailable in Android to iPhone conversations.

Excitingly, some users on social media platforms have reported that RCS has already been enabled on their iPhones through iOS 18 beta 2. If you are with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon and have downloaded the beta version of iOS 18, you can enable RCS by following these simple steps:
– Go to Settings
– Navigate to Apps
– Tap on Messages

However, users on other carriers and MVNOs may need to wait a bit longer for a seamless cross-platform messaging experience as Apple relies on carrier support for implementing RCS.

While Apple’s adoption of RCS is a step in the right direction for improved communication between different platforms, messages from Android users will still appear in green bubbles labeled as “Text Message – RCS.” Despite these changes, both iMessage and Google Messages will retain some exclusive features unique to each platform.

It’s worth noting that even though Apple has embraced RCS technology, it continues to differentiate between Android and iPhone users by assigning different colored bubbles for their messages. This decision maintains the distinct identity of each platform while enhancing communication capabilities for all users.