For years, I used to be a nuisance to anybody with an iPhone. Whereas I proudly toted my Samsung Galaxy units, my associates would deplore the havoc I might wreak on any textual content or group chat by “turning everything green.” There’s apparently nothing worse to an iMessage person than an Android person who crashes their valuable blue-bubble social gathering.
I’ve since given up the combat and switched to an iPhone, and now I reap the numerous benefits of iMessage, together with sending high-resolution photographs 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 “outdoors.” Exclusivity brings out the worst in us.
Learn extra: Best iPhone to Buy in 2024
Now that Apple has mentioned it’s going to undertake Rich Communication Services messaging, issues ought to get higher. RCS is a protocol that replaces SMS (Brief Message Service) and has a lot of the same features as iMessage, together with typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing and end-to-end encryption. It is already obtainable throughout Android units and, after years of stress from iPhone customers, rivals and lawmakers alike, Apple has mentioned it’s going to adopt RCS on iPhones, too.
Even if Apple barely acknowledged the upcoming arrival of RCS on iPhones throughout this yr’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, the replace is slated to grow to be obtainable to the general public within the fall with iOS 18. It is now rolling out with iOS 18 developer beta 2, 9to5Mac earlier reported.
This is every part to learn about how Apple’s adoption of RCS may enhance messaging.
Apple’s RCS texting screenshot exhibits a “delivered” standing replace, media and some inexperienced bubbles. Whereas it’d look loads like a present MMS dialog, it is possible the largest enchancment a non-iMessage dialog has seen in years on the iPhone.
RCS will exchange SMS texting on iPhones
When RCS arrives on iPhones, it ought to rework primary messaging with Android customers right into a extra fashionable, refined expertise by changing SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Apple shared a first look on the new functionality on its iOS 18 preview page after WWDC, and here is what we all know to date.
As a substitute of getting small, grainy photographs and movies from Android associates, you will see high-quality media. RCS will even convey perks like learn and delivered receipts, in response to a screenshot Apple posted.
In line with users on X who’ve been utilizing the brand new RCS functionality with iOS 18 developer beta 2, iPhone homeowners will even see typing indicators when texting associates on Android.
However there is a huge caveat: Adopting RCS won’t solve the blue-bubble-green-bubble problem. iMessage will proceed to be obtainable solely to Apple’s prospects, which means texting anybody who does 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 will simply have to deal with it.
Some options will stay unique to iMessage or Google’s Messages app. As an illustration, whilst you can edit or unsend texts in iMessage, you most likely will not have the option to take action for messages despatched by way of RCS. And Google Messages-exclusive options like drafting texts using the Gemini AI model possible 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 grow to be obtainable on iPhones?
Apple hasn’t shared precise timing, nevertheless it needs to be obtainable 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 landing page for Google Messages. In line with 9to5Google, the search large famous the brand new messaging protocol is “coming quickly on iOS” and that “Apple has introduced it is going to be adopting RCS within the fall of 2024.” This point out has since been eliminated, nevertheless it’s as if Google can hardly comprise its pleasure.
Will the DOJ’s antitrust go well with open up iMessage?
In a sweeping complaint against Apple, the US Division of Justice accuses the iPhone maker of hindering competitors, delving into a variety of practices it sees as monopolistic. This contains allegations that Apple “undermines cross-platform messaging” by not extending its iMessage service to Android.
Apple has maintained that retaining iMessage unique to its personal units is within the curiosity of person privateness and safety, noting it would not have the ability to 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 folks blissful, Apple famous the vary of different messaging platforms folks can use to speak throughout units, together with WhatsApp, Messenger and Snapchat. However, relying on the place you reside, it is perhaps extra intuitive to succeed in for the native textual content app in your cellphone, whether or not that is Apple’s iMessage or Google Messages.
Whether or not the DOJ’s criticism will pressure Apple to open up its walled backyard stays to be seen. The European Union has additionally been making use of stress 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 yr, the EU decided Apple’s messaging platform doesn’t qualify as a “gatekeeper” service, which means it will not have to attach instantly with different chat apps. (In the meantime, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger apps do fall underneath 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 folks on completely different units much less painful. And even when the texts keep inexperienced, hopefully the grass on the opposite facet appears rather less so.
