Apple has officially added support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to its Messages app. This feature was introduced with the second developer beta of iOS 18 earlier this week.
RCS is a messaging protocol that uses the internet to allow users to send and receive files, high-quality images, see typing indicators, read receipts, start group chats, and more. Until now, iPhone users could only send SMS or MMS messages from the Messages app to people without an Apple device.
Media sharing, read receipts, and other advanced features were exclusive to iMessage, available only to Apple device users. With this update, iPhone users can now text and share files with anyone using a device that supports RCS, including most Android phones.
However, messages from Android devices will still appear as green bubbles in iMessage.
For now, RCS support is limited to U.S. carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. While users can see the toggle if they have installed the iOS 18 developer beta, the feature will only work if their mobile carrier supports RCS and has updated their network bundle for iOS 18. We will update this story as the protocol gains support in other regions.
Apple briefly mentioned the addition of RCS support during its Worldwide Developer Conference keynote earlier this month.
“When messaging contacts who do not have an Apple device, the Messages app now supports RCS for richer media and more reliable group messaging compared to SMS and MMS,” Apple stated in its press release detailing iOS 18.
iPhone and Android users have long requested RCS support from Apple, as it simplifies messaging and sharing across different devices. Google has also been advocating for Apple to bridge the blue and green bubble divide for years.
