For years, I used to be a nuisance to anybody with an iPhone. While I proudly toted my Samsung Galaxy gadgets, my pals would deplore the havoc I’d wreak on any textual content or group chat by “turning everything green.” There’s apparently nothing worse to an iMessage consumer than an Android consumer who crashes their treasured blue-bubble celebration.
I’ve since given up the combat and switched to an iPhone, and now I reap the various advantages 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’m now the one who, a lot to my chagrin, laments getting inexperienced texts from anybody on the “outside.” Exclusivity brings out the worst in us.
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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 (Short Message Service) and has lots of the identical options as iMessage, together with typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing and end-to-end encryption. It’s already obtainable throughout Android gadgets and, after years of stress from iPhone customers, rivals and lawmakers alike, Apple has mentioned it’s going to undertake RCS on iPhones, too.
Despite the truth that Apple barely acknowledged the upcoming arrival of RCS on iPhones throughout this yr’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, the replace is slated to turn into obtainable to the general public within the fall with iOS 18. It’s now rolling out with iOS 18 developer beta 2, 9to5Mac earlier reported.
Here’s the whole lot to find out about how Apple’s adoption of RCS may enhance messaging.
(*18*)
Apple’s RCS texting screenshot exhibits a “delivered” standing replace, media and some inexperienced bubbles. While it’d look so much like a present MMS dialog, it is seemingly the most important enchancment a non-iMessage dialog has seen in years on the iPhone.
RCS will change SMS texting on iPhones
When RCS arrives on iPhones, it ought to remodel primary messaging with Android customers right into a extra fashionable, refined expertise by changing SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Apple shared a primary have a look at the brand new functionality on its iOS 18 preview web page after WWDC, and here is what we all know thus far.
Instead of getting small, grainy photographs and movies from Android pals, you may see high-quality media. RCS will even convey perks like learn and delivered receipts, in keeping with a screenshot Apple posted.
According to customers on X who’ve been utilizing the brand new RCS functionality with iOS 18 developer beta 2, iPhone house owners will even see typing indicators when texting pals on Android.
But there is a massive caveat: Adopting RCS will not resolve the blue-bubble-green-bubble difficulty. iMessage will proceed to be obtainable solely to Apple’s clients, that means texting anybody who would 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’ll simply have to deal with it.
Some options will stay unique to iMessage or Google’s Messages app. For occasion, whilst you can edit or unsend texts in iMessage, you in all probability will not give you the option to take action for messages despatched by way of RCS. And Google Messages-exclusive options like drafting texts utilizing the Gemini AI mannequin seemingly will not switch throughout gadgets both. It’s additionally not clear but whether or not messages despatched throughout Android telephones and iPhones can be end-to-end encrypted.
Still, this replace ought to make messaging throughout Android telephones and iPhones really feel much less archaic.
When will RCS turn into obtainable on iPhones?
Apple hasn’t shared precise timing, but it surely ought to be obtainable within the fall with the discharge of iOS 18.
Even earlier than the WWDC keynote, Google appeared to have unintentionally leaked RCS’s arrival on iPhones in a touchdown web page for Google Messages. According to 9to5Google, the search large famous the brand new messaging protocol is “coming soon on iOS” and that “Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024.” This point out has since been eliminated, but it surely’s as if Google can hardly comprise its pleasure.
Will the DOJ’s antitrust swimsuit open up iMessage?
In a sweeping criticism in opposition to Apple, the US Department of Justice accuses the iPhone maker of hindering competitors, delving into a variety of practices it sees as monopolistic. This consists of 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 gadgets is within the curiosity of consumer privateness and safety, noting it would not have the ability to make sure that encryption and authentication measures on third-party gadgets meet its requirements. It’s additionally 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 individuals pleased, Apple famous the vary of different messaging platforms individuals can use to speak throughout gadgets, together with WhatsApp, Messenger and Snapchat. But, relying on the place you reside, it is perhaps extra intuitive to achieve for the native textual content app in your telephone, whether or not that is Apple’s iMessage or Google Messages.
Whether the DOJ’s criticism will power 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 would not qualify as a “gatekeeper” service, that means it will not have to attach straight with different chat apps. (Meanwhile, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger apps do fall below the EU’s gatekeeper label and can subsequently have to permit for conversations throughout different companies.) Time — years, maybe — will inform how Apple fares within the face of the DOJ’s allegations and whether or not or not modifications are in retailer for iMessage.
In 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 pals on totally different gadgets much less painful. And even when the texts keep inexperienced, hopefully the grass on the opposite facet seems rather less so.