Apple has announced plans to introduce end-to-end encryption for RCS chats on iPhone in future updates to its operating systems. This will significantly increase the security of messaging between iPhone and Android users, bringing the level of protection closer to that of iMessage.
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The introduction of end-to-end encryption will be possible thanks to the new version of RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which was released just today. It is emphasized that Apple has been actively involved in promoting the technology from the very beginning, however, as 9to5Mac notes, the specific timing of its appearance on Apple devices has not yet been specified.
Apple first introduced RCS support to the iPhone last fall with the release of iOS 18.1. The standard replaced the outdated SMS, providing a more convenient messaging experience between iPhone and Android users. RCS also includes features such as typing indicators, emoji reactions, read receipts, and high-quality image and video transfer.
It is worth mentioning that until today, the RCS Universal Profile protocol for exchanging data between mobile operators did not support end-to-end encryption, but with its update, Apple confirmed its readiness to integrate this function into its devices.
In a statement, the company said: “We are pleased to have helped lead the effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS protocol as adopted by the GSMA. We will be adding support for encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future updates.”