iPhone will iMessage to Google Android phones via RCS Standard

iPhone will iMessage to Google Android phones via RCS Standard

Apple has finally embraced the RCS messaging transfer standard to enhance interoperability with Android devices.

After years of persuasion from Google, Apple plans to adopt the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard.

A spokesperson for Apple revealed that next year, support for RCS Universal Profile will be added to the Messages app.

The statement reads: “Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, currently published by the GSM Association, to enhance the interoperable experience.We believe that RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience compared to SMS or MMS. This will complement iMessage, which will continue to provide the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”

iPhone will iMessage to Google Android phones via RCS Standard

According to Apple, RCS will “work seamlessly with iMessage” and improve communication between iPhone and Android users. iMessage will remain the default method of communication for iPhone-to-iPhone communication, while RCS will replace the existing SMS and MMS standards. SMS and MMS can still be used as a fallback when necessary.

RCS is a communication protocol designed and adopted by Google. While smartphone manufacturers and carriers worldwide have adopted RCS, Apple has resisted its adoption. Google has been pressuring Apple to accept RCS through long-term advertising campaigns, including billboards, websites, and social media.

Starting from August 2022, Google established a website called “Get the Message,” urging Apple to “fix” messaging between iPhone and Android users. Even Samsung joined this public relations campaign earlier this year, releasing a quirky ad stating that the green bubble “Romeo” and the blue bubble “Juliet” cannot be together due to Apple’s delay in adopting RCS.

What is differeent between RCS. and iMessage?

Samsung wrote in the ad: “The green bubble and the blue bubble want to be together,” using the #GetTheMessage tag that Google used in its social media promotions.

Compared to the SMS and MMS standards used by Apple, RCS supports higher resolution photos and videos, audio messages, and larger file sizes. It also improves chat encryption between iPhone and Android users, cross-platform emoji reactions, and enhances the reliability of group chats across different devices.

With RCS, features such as real-time typing indicators, read receipts, better photos and videos, and significantly improved group chat will become the standard configuration for both iPhone and Android phones. Apple acknowledges that while RCS enhances the security of cross-device messaging, it is not as secure as iMessage.

According to Apple, RCS will provide users with the option to share their location within text message conversations, similar to iMessage. RCS will operate over Wi-Fi networks, in addition to cellular networks.

As of September 2022, Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously stated that adopting RCS was not a top priority for the company. He said, “I haven’t heard from our users that they’re asking us to put a lot of energy there.” The reasons for Apple’s change in stance are not clear, but the company is facing regulatory scrutiny in multiple countries regarding the App Store, iMessage, and other proprietary technologies. Adopting RCS may be seen as a willingness to collaborate with other companies to improve device interoperability.

For example, the European Union has been working on legislation requiring Apple to modify iMessage to make it usable on other platforms. With RCS, iMessage will no longer have as many advantages that make it difficult to use across platforms.

Looking ahead, Apple plans to collaborate with Google and other members of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) to further improve RCS.

RCS support will be introduced in next year’s software updates, with carriers needing to implement support to enable all features.

In the United States, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T already support RCS.