iPhone–Android messaging is about to get an upgrade

As part of the second developer beta of iOS 18 released earlier this week, Apple added support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to its Messages app. And it could revolutionize the whole blue bubble vs. green bubble debate.

RCS is a next-gen text messaging standard that allows for several new features when an iPhone user texts an Android user, including higher-resolution photos/videos, the ability to send texts over Wi-Fi, and the ability to display typing indicators as well as read receipts. RCS messages are also encrypted, while SMS/MMS messages are not.

• One thing won’t be changing, however: messages from Android devices to iPhones will still wear the green bubble of shame.
• Support for RCS also seems to be limited to US carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon for now, TechCrunch reports.

Apple wasn’t exactly incentivized to make the switch. Internal emails made public in 2021 during a lawsuit showed senior Apple execs shooting down proposals to bring an iMessage app to Android due to its ecosystem lock-in. “I am concerned iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove an obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones,” current Apple senior vice president in charge of software Craig Federighi wrote in 2013.

So why is it adding iMessage-like functionality? Apple says it’s because RCS is more secure and privacy friendly than SMS/MMS.

But many experts speculate that avoiding future regulatory issues and legal costs are also a motivating factor. Samsung and Google have been pushing Apple to implement RCS for years, and startups like Beeper – which figured out a way to bring iMessage to Android devices before it got tired of playing Whac-A-Mole with Apple, who kept having it shut down – are increasingly likely to pop up.

👀 Looking ahead… Apple says a public beta of iOS 18 is coming “next month.” But if you’re looking for a more stable version (read: less buggy), the date to mark on your fireman calendar is mid-September.