Apple To Adopt RCS Messaging Standard For iMessage In Major Shift

Apple has announced that it will integrate support for the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard into iPhones starting next year. As per an official statement by an Apple spokesperson to 9to5Mac, the move will bring advanced messaging features to interactions between iPhone and Android users.

Through a software update planned for "later next year", Apple iPhones will gain the ability to send and receive messages using RCS. This standard provides capabilities like read receipts, typing indicators, and high-quality photo and video sharing comparable to iMessage.

"Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association. We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users", the official statement reads.

RCS will operate alongside iMessage, Apple's proprietary end-to-end encrypted messaging platform used exclusively between iOS devices. The company stated that iMessage "will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users".

Cross-platform messaging between iPhones and Android devices has been limited to SMS/MMS for years. RCS represents a major upgrade over these older protocols by allowing enhanced features over both cellular data and WiFi.

The addition of RCS support marks a departure for Apple, which had resisted pressure from competitors like Google and Samsung to adopt the standard. CEO Tim Cook dismissed concerns over SMS limitations as recently as 2022 during Vox Media Inc.'s 2022 Code Conference. He said, "Buy Your Mom An iPhone", answering a journalist's question about iMessage compatibility, clarifying that compatibility was not a priority for Apple.

However, looming legislation in Europe aimed at regulating large technology companies is believed to have prompted Apple's change of stance. Integrating RCS could curb arguments that iMessage monopolizes messaging and needs more interoperability.

Earlier this week, Nothing unveiled a new messaging application called Nothing Chats. The app aims to solve the so-called "green bubble" problem, where messages from non-iOS devices appear in green text bubbles in iMessage group chats.

Apple says it will collaborate with industry partners to strengthen RCS security and privacy. But iMessage is expected to remain the preferred communication option within the iOS ecosystem.