Apple says Messages will support RCS in iOS 18, replacing SMS as the default communication protocol between Android and iOS devices, but gives few details
Apple had signaled this policy shift months earlier, while preserving the visual distinction between iMessage and non-iMessage conversations through green RCS bubbles. iOS 18 turns that commitment into a platform-level implementation question, though the company has not detailed its rollout.
First-order effects
iPhone-to-Android conversations can move off SMS to RCS when the relevant devices and carriers support it, changing the default transport for Apple Messages’ cross-platform texts.
Apple narrows the functional gap in cross-platform messaging without merging RCS into iMessage: iMessage remains Apple’s distinct service and RCS conversations remain separately identified.
Second-order effects
Android, carrier, and RCS-provider investments gain a larger addressable endpoint base as iPhones begin participating in the same standard rather than falling back to SMS.
The move shifts attention from whether Apple will adopt RCS—previously framed as a future software update—to interoperability details, carrier availability, and the user experience Apple exposes in Messages.
Third-order effects
If implementation becomes broadly available, cross-platform mobile messaging will be less governed by the technical limits of SMS and more by a shared standard, while platform-specific services retain their own differentiation.
The remaining strategic issue is whether common standards can close feature and security gaps across platforms; later GSMA work on interoperable end-to-end encryption shows that adoption alone does not settle that question.
The trend: This is part of the gradual standardization of cross-platform messaging: common transport layers are expanding while major platforms preserve differentiated messaging services on top.
Apple beefing out the Messages app with features third-parties have had for years feels like them getting ready to actually compete on the messaging front. It's nice to see anti-trust pressure actually doing something for once.
iOS 18 will bring RCS support to the iPhone. This means that photos and videos exchanged with Android devices will finally look high quality and not like a 240p video from a flip cam! [image]
Apple is doing RCS Universal Profile support It's still up to carriers to build the backend to support it. They aren't doing Google's hacky middle man method, which is unfortunate but makes sense.
Ahead of WWDC today, I found out what version of the RCS Universal Profile Apple will implement in the iOS Messages app. It's also heavily implied that Apple will support RBM, but not confirmed. Hopefully they share more details at WWDC! https://www.androidauthority.com/ ...
Really excited for iOS 18. Lots of nice quality-of-life changes and Apple finally adding RCS support Ngl I'm just happy to finally get scheduling in iMessage and a cleaner Photos app
In case you missed it, iMessage now has RCS support. It was mentioned for one or two seconds before they moved on. It's also the smallest bubble on this page. 🤣 #WWDC [image]
Apple said <very briefly> it will support RCS messaging which everyone wants and allows better texting with Android devices. BIG NEWS. In 2022 at CODE conference an audience member tells Tim Cook how his Mom has a substandard texting experience on Android. “Buy her an iPhone”