The GSMA announces the latest RCS standard supports interoperable E2EE between platforms; Apple says it will add support for the standard in future OS updates
iPhones will soon get encrypted RCS messaging to Androids Matt Milano / WebProNews : Encrypted RCS Coming to iOS and Android Andrew Cunningham / Ars Technica : RCS texting updates will bring end-to-end encryption to green bubble chats Florence Ion / Gizmodo : Apple Will Fully Encrypt RCS Messages Between Androids and iPhones Zachary McAuliffe / CNET : Report: A Future iOS Update Will Bring Encrypted RCS Messaging to iPhones Chris Smith / Trusted Reviews : Texting between iPhone and Android users is finally becoming secure Arol Wright / How-To Geek : RCS is Finally Getting End-to-End Encryption on Your iPhone Lance Whitney / ZDNET : Why Apple's RCS encryption move is a privacy game-changer for your texts Amar Ćemanović / CyberInsider : GSMA Introduces End-to-End Encryption for Cross-Platform RCS Messaging Jibin Joseph / PCMag : Apple Tips Upcoming Encrypted RCS Messaging Between iOS, Android Brad Linder / Liliputing : RCS Encryption will let Android and iOS users send secure messages Jamie Richards / TechRadar : Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time Karandeep Singh / Android Police : RCS Universal Profile 3.0 will fully encrypt texts between iPhone and Android Craig Donaldson / Pocket-lint : Encrypted RCS messaging coming soon to iPhone-Android chats Paul Sawers / TechCrunch : iPhone and Android users will soon be able to send encrypted RCS messages to each other Max Buondonno / The Shortcut : iPhone RCS update will encrypt your texts with Android users Kellen / Droid Life : New RCS Universal Profile 3.0 Adds End-to-End Encryption, Apple and Google Both Included Michael Simon / Macworld : Apple will soon encrypt iPhone-to-Android messages just like iMessage iClarified : Apple to Enable Encrypted RCS Messaging with Android Users MacDailyNews : Apple and Google to support end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iPhone and Android Markus Kasanmascheff / WinBuzzer : Apple and Google Collaborate to Encrypt RCS Messaging between iOS and Android Mike Viray / Phandroid : End-to-end Encryption is Coming for RCS on iOS, Apple Confirms Tyler Lee / Android Headlines : iPhone RCS messaging with Android will soon be more secure Tsveta Ermenkova / PhoneArena : Apple will fix the biggest security flaw in its messaging truce with Android John Voorhees / MacStories : Apple Says It Will Adopt New RCS Encryption Standard in a Future OS Update Paul Thurrott / Thurrott : GSMA Announces E2EE for RCS with Apple's Support Steve Vegvari / iPhone in Canada Blog : Apple to Soon Support Encrypted RCS Messages With Android William Gallagher / AppleInsider : RCS messaging will get end-to-end encryption on iPhone Jonny Evans / Apple Must : Apple ready to enable encrypted RCS messages on iPhones Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority : Android-iPhone texting is on track for a long overdue upgrade Rajesh Pandey / Cult of Mac : iPhone RCS texting to gain end-to-end encryption support this year Dwayne Cubbins / TechIssuesToday.com : Major privacy concern with RCS on iPhones to finally be addressed with upcoming update Zak Doffman / Forbes : FBI Warning—Apple Confirms iPhone Update For All Users Bluesky: Paul Frazee / @pfrazee.com : So one good thing that seems to be happening right now is that a new end-to-end encryption standard “MLS” seems to be gaining a lot of momentum. Like, a lot. — And from what I understand this is an important step there as well, because RCS' encryption is MLS. Security folks correct me if I'm wrong Justin Schuh / @justinschuh.com : I wish this hadn't taken so long, but I'm also very glad to see Apple publicly committing to RCS E2EE with Android interoperability. This finally establishes a secure messaging baseline for the vast majority of people (and not a moment too soon). Chance Miller / @chancemiller.me : New: Apple says it will support end-to-end encrypted RCS chats in a future software update 9to5mac.com/2025/03/14/e... Liam / @liamd.gamingonlinux.com : Honestly, i fully expect Apple are doing this as a fuck you to the UK government repeatedly trying to get them to add a backdoor to encryption. — The UK government are fools. There is no secure encryption if you add a backdoor. Threads: David Imel / @davidimel : Let's goooooo https://www.theverge.com/... X: Max Weinbach / @maxwinebach : RCS Universal Profile is getting updated with support for end to end encryption! This means iOS and Android will have E2EE with messages, files, etc sent via RCS https://www.gsma.com/... Max Weinbach / @maxwinebach : Looks like Message Un-Sending and Editing as well! [image] LinkedIn: Robert Gerstmann : Good news from our friends at the GSMA: end-to-end encryption between Android and iOS is coming to RCS. … Forums: Hacker News : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users r/crypto : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users r/UniversalProfile : End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone coming in future software update r/ios : End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone coming in future software update r/Android : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users r/technology : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users | 'We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS … r/technews : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users | 'We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS … r/apple : End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone coming in future software update r/UniversalProfile : UP 3.0 announced and Apple will implement it this year. Brisk To / Beehaw : Apple will soon support encrypted RCS messaging with Android users Msmash / Slashdot : RCS Messaging Adds End-to-End Encryption Between Android and iOS See also Mediagazer
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple’s RCS shift began with its commitment to make RCS the default cross-platform alternative to SMS in iOS 18, followed by reports that RCS was appearing for some iPhone beta users on selected carriers. The new encryption profile addresses the security gap left after that initial interoperability step.
The development preserves Apple’s visual distinction between iMessage and RCS while making the Android–iPhone path more capable. It builds on the GSMA’s earlier cross-platform encryption plan and Google’s push to deliver it quickly.
First-order effects
- Apple must implement the GSMA encryption profile in a future OS update, allowing iPhone and Android users to exchange RCS messages with interoperable end-to-end encryption.
- Cross-platform RCS conversations gain a security property already available in Google’s RCS one-to-one chats, rather than relying on SMS-era fallback behavior.
Second-order effects
- Apple and Google now have to align their messaging implementations on a shared standard, making interoperability—not a platform-specific feature set—the immediate point of competition.
- The practical gap between iMessage and Android messaging narrows for mixed-device contacts, even as Apple retains the blue/green bubble distinction described in its earlier RCS positioning.
Third-order effects
- If implementation is broad and consistent, standards-based encryption can make the default phone-number messaging channel a more credible cross-platform layer rather than a set of siloed platform experiences.
- The change is a test of whether messaging incumbents can preserve differentiated products while yielding on the interoperability and security expectations attached to a common protocol.
The trend: Consumer messaging is moving toward standards-based cross-platform interoperability, with encryption becoming a baseline requirement rather than a proprietary differentiator.