RCS on the iPhone: Useful new features only with iOS 19
Apple's next iPhone update in the fall should also improve communication with Android. These features could be coming.
Google Messages and Apple iMessage: soon to be less dysfunctional.
(Image: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com)
Apple is planning a whole range of new functions for its RCS support for the upcoming iOS version – and possibly also macOS –. It was already known that iOS 19 will finally include end-to-end encryption for the Rich Communication Standard in the Messages app. But that's not all, there are more features that have not yet been implemented.
Still outdated profile in iOS
For years, Apple had not considered it necessary to support RCS in iOS at all – despite regular "nudging" by Google, which hoped to facilitate communication with Android devices. This was finally implemented with iOS 18, although Apple did not implement all of the standard's features, including the extremely important encryption, without which the network operator could potentially read in, as is the case with text messages.
Otherwise, iOS 18 only supports the capabilities of RCS up to version 2.4; the current version is 2.7 from summer 2024. 9to5Mac now reports that iOS 19 will be accompanied by the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 – Apple has already confirmed this. However, it is still unclear whether it will be available with the first version in the fall.
Edit and unsend – and more
RCS 3.0 offers a number of "Quality of Life" improvements that will allow the communication location to catch up with iMessage and other modern instant messaging technologies. In addition to end-to-end encryption, there will be four other new features. These include in-line replies, i.e. direct replies to messages within the thread, the option to recall sent messages (unsend), subsequent editing of messages and real tapback support for replying with any emojis and images (presumably including genmojis).
It is currently assumed that Apple will go directly from RCS 2.4 to RCS 3.0, as this creates the conditions for end-to-end encryption. The RCS innovations will also be included in macOS, iPadOS and watchOS alongside iOS "in a later software update". Apple is basing this on the specifications of the protocol managed by the GSMA organization, which sets mobile communications standards. However, one thing is unlikely to change: RCS messages on the iPhone will remain green.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
(bsc)
