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Well, it turns out that miracles CAN happen. You might want to watch out for flying pigs today because Apple just announced that it’s going to implement RCS messaging into the iPhone next year. This was a surprising move from the company because it was vehemently resistant to adopting it.
In case you don’t know what RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging technology is, it’s the next evolution of SMS (Short Messaging Service) technology. SMS technology has powered several generations of phone users over the years, but it’s far out of date. Internet-based messaging technology has arisen thanks to the likes of apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram., Google Chat, etc. They offer a much more robust experience while SMS is stuck in the early 2000s.
Android has already implemented RCS technology into its phones, and everyone has been waiting for the other major mobile OS to do the same. Apple has long been a stick in the mud when it comes to implementing RCS technology. It opted to keep its iPhones on the older SMS technology. This way, it can have more control over its messages (and keep its monopoly over the sacred blue bubbles).
But, Apple finally announced that it’s implementing RCS technology
Love it or hate it, Apple is finally jumping on the SMS train. This comes after years of pressure from competitors like Google and Samsung. Not only them, but governmental regulators have also been weighing on the company’s shoulders.
The thing about RCS technology is that it’s leagues ahead of SMS. You’re able to make group chats, send larger files, share your locations, get read receipts, enjoy end-to-end encrypted messages, and more. Apple offers some of these features through iMessage, but only iPhone users can use them. Android users were left out of the party. This is a bummer, as Android users can enjoy these features with other Android users, but iPhone users are left out in that regard.
Apple is going to bring RCS messaging through a software update next year. It said that this will happen later next year. We’re not sure when the company is going to launch it, but it would make sense if it were to launch the feature with iOS 18. It could be one of the headlining features of the update.
iMessage is going nowhere
While Apple is opening up to RCS messaging, it’s still doubling down on iMessage. The company said that the end-to-end encryption in iMessage is stronger than RCS, and it will still exist as its own service. This shows that Apple is still not ready to give up what it’s built with iMessage. In any case, it is nice to see that the company is finally implementing the technology.