Final 12 months’s rollout of iOS 26 was putting, with the translucent Liquid Glass aesthetic. Apple has since iterated on its smartphone’s software program, although some customers proceed to voice their displeasure. If you happen to’ve held out, this newest model—iOS 26.5—features a new characteristic that’s value updating your smartphone for proper now: end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging.
Apple rolled out the newest model of its iPhone working system on Monday. Now, if an iPhone proprietor sends or receives inexperienced bubbles, aka RCS texts, in Apple’s Messages app with an Android proprietor, these chats could also be encrypted. “Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can’t be learn whereas they’re despatched between gadgets,” reads an early model of the settings web page. Apple is launching this characteristic as a beta, and its present availability is dependent upon your machine and service.
Texts between Apple gadgets within the Messages app, aka iMessages, have been encrypted since launch, however chats with Android gadgets weren’t protected in the identical manner. Apple just lately upgraded non-iMessages from SMS to RCS and modernized the backend—enabling richer options when texting anybody on Android, like higher-resolution photographs, learn receipts, and typing indicators—however these chats nonetheless lacked encryption choices. The iOS 26.5 improve fixes this with cross-platform encryption within the iPhone’s default texting app.
How Do I Know If It’s On?
After you replace your iPhone, the setting ought to be enabled by default if it is accessible in your machine and service. Verify by opening your Settings app, then going to the Apps and Messages tabs. Scroll down till you see RCS Messaging below the Textual content Messaging choices and click on on it. That is the web page the place you’ll be able to see if the beta model of end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging is on—the toggle will present inexperienced if it is enabled.
Now, you’ll be able to examine what kind of chat a dialog is by opening your Messages app and finding the grey textual content displayed in that textual content field on the backside of the display. It’ll both learn iMessage, Textual content Message – RCS, or Textual content Message – SMS. You may even see a small lock icon as a part of the message thread when beginning a brand new RCS dialog after this replace. Conversations labeled as “SMS” won’t be modified.
RCS messaging just isn’t accessible for each service, although the key US carriers—like Verizon, T-Cell, and AT&T—all help the texting protocol. Unsure if yours is roofed? Take a look at Apple’s help web page for a full record of characteristic availability by service.
What Else Is New Right here?
The opposite adjustments in iOS 26.5 are pretty minor. Based mostly on particulars from the beta launch, advertisements are more likely to begin showing within the Maps app as search strategies while you lookup a restaurant or someplace else. Adjustments to the Maps app additionally embrace the addition of “Urged Locations,” which advocate spots to hit up based mostly in your searches and close by tendencies. The newest iOS additionally consists of Delight-themed wallpapers, since June is true across the nook.
Whereas it is value updating your iPhone to iOS 26.5 for the safer messaging options, extra sweeping adjustments to the smartphone software program will arrive within the fall. Apple, if it follows the sample of previous releases, is predicted to unveil the absolutely revamped model, iOS 27, in June at its WWDC developer convention, making the replace accessible for everybody to obtain later this 12 months.
