Apple to Change iPhone Messaging Next Week
▼ Summary
– Apple will introduce encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android with iOS 26.5 next week, nearly 18 months after the FBI’s warning.
– The encryption upgrade is not available to all, limited by device compatibility and carrier support.
– Unlike WhatsApp or iMessage, where encryption is always applied, encrypted RCS depends on the user’s carrier network at the time of messaging.
– Apple states that end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) will roll out over time with supported carriers.
– Even after the update, users are still more secure when messaging within Apple’s or Google’s walled gardens, or using apps like WhatsApp or Signal.
Almost 18 months after the FBI urged Americans to stop texting between iPhone and Android, Apple is finally delivering a solution. With the release of iOS 26.5 next week, encrypted cross-platform messaging will become a reality for the first time. However, Apple has cautioned that this feature “is not available to all,” a statement that carries significant implications for both device compatibility and carrier support.
The limitation isn’t just about which iPhones can handle fully secure RCS messages. It also hinges on carrier networks, meaning even the latest iPhones may not always deliver encrypted chats. This second type of availability is the more pressing concern.
When you use WhatsApp, every message is end-to-end encrypted because the app controls both ends of the conversation. The same holds true for iMessage between Apple users, where the infamous blue bubbles guarantee security. If one participant isn’t on iMessage, the bubble turns green, and it’s clearly labeled as a text or RCS message.
With Google Messages, encryption is more nuanced. If all parties use an updated version of the app, RCS messages are fully encrypted. But the system doesn’t always make it obvious when encryption is absent, forcing users to manually check.
The new upgrade introduces even greater complexity. Unlike WhatsApp or iMessage, Apple’s and Google’s encrypted RCS relies on carriers, not apps. The encryption is baked into the protocol itself, not applied by the iMessage or Google Messages interface. This means an RCS chat between an Android and an iPhone user could shift from encrypted to unencrypted depending on which networks the devices are connected to at any given moment.
In its latest release notes ahead of the iOS update, Apple stated that “end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time.” An Apple messaging website is expected to provide further details when the feature goes live.
So when fully encrypted RCS messaging launches next week, Apple and Google users will still be more secure within their respective walled gardens, or when using third-party apps like WhatsApp or Signal. That fundamental reality isn’t changing anytime soon.
(Source: Forbes)
