RCS: Waiting for Universal Profile 3.0 in iOS 26
Apple has promised to add missing functions to the RCS support of the Messages app. However, this could still take some time.
RCS logo in front of phone: Apple can, if Apple wants to.
(Image: LuckyStep / Shutterstock)
With iOS 18, Apple released the option for its Messages app to send and receive messages as part of the SMS successor Rich Communication Services (RCS) less than a year ago. However, the iPhone manufacturer has not implemented all the possibilities of this technology, which has been pushed by Google in particular. This should actually change with iOS 26 and support for the so-called Universal Profile 3.0 should follow. The problem is that the beta versions of the next iPhone operating system have not yet included this. This is reported by testers of the latest developer version.
Five functions, all important
RCS 3.0 is set to bring at least five key new functions to the iPhone. First of all, Apple wants to finally make the successor to SMS more secure: At the moment, RCS messages are not yet encrypted and can be read by Apple itself (at least in theory) and the mobile phone providers.
Under Android, Google takes care of encryption from device to device itself, but Apple wants to implement this using RCS 3.0. It is not yet clear whether it will work with all carriers, and there are apparently no plans to activate encryption by default or in group chats. Without a beta, however, this is not yet clear.
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Waiting for the beta
The new functions two to five include in-line replies to RCS messages, the option to edit messages retrospectively, withdrawing messages and comprehensive support for tapbacks with emojis (currently not working properly). Some things have at least already been implemented by the remote station. For example, Android beta testers have recently been able to edit messages to iOS users retrospectively, whereby a new message is sent. With RCS 3.0, however, this will be done transparently with the actual message.
Apple currently still supports Universal Profile 2.4 with iOS 18. It is unclear when iOS 26 will include RCS 3.0. However, even in the beta phase of iOS 18, it took a while before RCS could be tested at all. It started with the third pre-release version. But this is precisely what Apple recently delivered for iOS 26. It is conceivable that Apple still has to make arrangements with mobile network providers before RCS 3.0 can really be tested. Users are currently waiting for the first public beta of iOS 26.
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