With at the moment’s launch of iOS 26.5, Apple has begun rolling out beta help for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging. As with all issues RCS, there are some primary necessities each you and the recipient of your messages might want to fulfill earlier than you messages are secured in transit.
First, you may want an iPhone working iOS 26.5 linked to a wi-fi community that helps E2E encrypted messaging over RCS. Yow will discover the complete checklist of appropriate networks on Apple’s web site. Within the US, AT&T, T-Cellular and Verizon are all out of the gate with day-one help for the protocol. As on your Android buddies, they will want the newest model of Google Messages, working on a tool linked to a appropriate community.
On an iPhone, when you see a brand new lock icon on the prime of your RCS chats, the dialog you are in is safe. “Encryption is on by default and will probably be routinely enabled over time for brand spanking new and current RCS conversations,” Apple notes. For communication between totally different Apple units, Apple will proceed to route messages via its personal iMessage protocol.
As is often the case, Apple additionally dropped updates for iPadOS, macOS Tahoe and watchOS, all of which hit model 26.5 as effectively. There aren’t a ton of noteworthy options this trip; the principle factor of notice apart from encrypted RCS is a brand new “instructed locations” in Maps that highlights locations you could be occupied with primarily based on latest searches and what’s trending close to you. There may be additionally a brand new Satisfaction-themed “Luminance” wallpaper that is fairly beautiful, colourful and customizable.
Whereas I am positive there will probably be some remaining quirks for Apple and Google to work out, at the moment’s launch successfully brings our lengthy RCS nightmare to an finish. Inexperienced chat bubbles (and their related stigma) could stay, however not less than iOS and Android customers can lastly chat with each other securely with out turning to a third-party app like Sign or WhatsApp. It could have taken years, a stress marketing campaign of questionable worth, and stress from Chinese language regulators, however we acquired right here.
