iOS 26.4 Beta Adds End-to-End Encryption for iPhone-to-Android RCS Texts

[MacRumors]

With the second iOS 26.4 beta, Apple and Google have started testing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users.

Apple started testing E2EE for RCS in the first beta, but the feature was limited to iPhone-to-iPhone communications with iMessage turned off. In this beta, iPhone users can send encrypted messages to Android users.

iPhone users will need to install the second beta of iOS 26.4 to exchange encrypted messages with Android users, while Google users need to have the latest version of Google Messages.

According to Apple's developer release notes for beta 2, while E2EE is being tested for RCS, it isn't going to ship in iOS 26.4 and will instead come at a later date.

In this beta, RCS end-to-end encryption will become available for testing between Apple and Android devices. This feature is not shipping in this release and will be available to customers in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26 releases. End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not available for all devices or carriers. Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can't be read while they're sent between devices.

Apple worked with the GSM Association to implement end-to-end encryption. iMessage, which is used for texts between iPhones, has long supported end-to-end encryption. Android's RCS implementation already has E2EE for Android-to-Android texts, but there is no full encryption for iPhone-to-Android and Android-to-iPhone conversations at the current time.

E2EE is not available for all devices or all carriers during the beta testing period.

Article Link: iOS 26.4 Beta Adds End-to-End Encryption for iPhone-to-Android RCS Texts

 

[yeah]

According to Apple's developer release notes for beta 2, while E2EE is being tested for RCS, it isn't going to ship in iOS 26.4 and will instead come at a later date.

And people on this forum actually believe that a new Siri and more advanced Apple Intelligence will release on-time... 🤣🤣🤣

 

[HouseLannister]

Announced 11 months ago. And we still can't edit or undo send. Maybe 2028?

Apple to Support Encrypted RCS Messaging in Future Software Update

Apple says it will add support for a new Rich Communication Services (RCS) specification that includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for messages sent over the protocol in future software updates.

www.macrumors.com

 

[JitteryJimmy]

End-to-end encryption is great if you have full faith in the security of both of the endpoints.

If you don't, then it is irrelevant.

 

[zobby]

All dependent on whether your carrier implements rcs of course. Mine hasn’t and likely never will.

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

And people on this forum actually believe that a new Siri and more advanced Apple Intelligence will release on-time... 🤣🤣🤣

The ENTIRE iOS team needs to be fired.

 

[Craiguyver]

Announced 11 months ago. And we still can't edit or undo send. Maybe 2028?

Apple to Support Encrypted RCS Messaging in Future Software Update

Apple says it will add support for a new Rich Communication Services (RCS) specification that includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for messages sent over the protocol in future software updates.

www.macrumors.com

More like 2038

 

[ATLAS-2]

According to Apple's developer release notes for beta 2, while E2EE is being tested for RCS, it isn't going to ship in iOS 26.4 and will instead come at a later date.

At this point, just delay it to iOS 27, along with everything else apparently.

 

[sos47]

Who cares? All my Android friends are on whatsapp.
I asked them why. Most said, because their messages app is full of spam..

 

[Jeaz]

Still can't do RCS, encrypted or unencrypted, where I live...

 

[sxbino]

Exactly this. RCS was added on iOS 18 and some carriers still don't support it for whatever reason... in my country my carrier supports RCS on Android but not on iPhone 🤡

All dependent on whether your carrier implements rcs of course. Mine hasn’t and likely never will.

 

[whelmedjedi]

who else is tired of seeing all the rcs news for the last 1.5 years?

 

[ZipZilla]

who else is tired of seeing all the rcs news for the last 1.5 years?

I welcome this news. I have family members on Android who send/receive messages to me and iOS 18 gave us the ability to exchange photos and videos seamlessly. If this is in the final 26.4 release, I will finally upgrade from iOS 18

 

[Böhme417]

I welcome this news. I have family members on Android who send/receive messages to me and iOS 18 gave us the ability to exchange photos and videos seamlessly. If this is in the final 26.4 release, I will finally upgrade from iOS 18

It literally says in the article that it will not be in this release.

 

[sw1tcher]

All dependent on whether your carrier implements rcs of course. Mine hasn’t and likely never will.

Still can't do RCS, encrypted or unencrypted, where I live...

Exactly this. RCS was added on iOS 18 and some carriers still don't support it for whatever reason... in my country my carrier supports RCS on Android but not on iPhone 🤡

Blame your carriers. I've been using RCS for a year now...

iOS 18.4 Brings RCS Support to Google Fi, Mint Mobile and Other T-Mobile MVNOs

The second beta of iOS 18.4 expands RCS messaging support to more carriers in the United States and other countries, according to multiple reports on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and other social media sites. After installing iOS 18.4, iPhone users with Mint Mobile, Google Fi, Ultra Mobile...

www.macrumors.com

and so have many others...

More Than 1 Billion RCS Messages Are Sent Daily on Android and iOS

Over a billion RCS messages are sent on a daily basis in the United States, Google said today. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a communication protocol that replaced the prior SMS and MMS messaging standards. It was developed by the GSM Association, but Google has been championing it for...

www.macrumors.com

 

[CarAnalogy]

I still find it ironic that Google gave Apple such a hard time about iMessage and not supporting RCS for so long.

Yet the one and only program on earth that supports it besides iMessage is Google's version of iMessage. They won't let any third party sms program use it.

 

[bluecoast]

Hopefully they'll clearly marked when an RCS connection is encrypted, as as many here have pointed out, this is a carrier dependent thing.

 

[sw1tcher]

I still find it ironic that Google gave Apple such a hard time about iMessage and not supporting RCS for so long.

Yet the one and only program on earth that supports it besides iMessage is Google's version of iMessage. They won't let any third party sms program use it.

JioMessages supports RCS.

JioMessages - Apps on Google Play

All-in-One SMS & RCS Message organizer by Jio.

play.google.com

Messages is a free, easy-to-use messaging app by Jio that combines SMS and RCS (Rich Communication Services) into one seamless experience. With a modern interface, powerful features, and real-time chat capabilities, it’s the perfect messaging solution for today’s connected users.

 

[Shin-Ra]

It’s hard to find a definitive answer to whether the current implementation of RCS E2EE is post-quantum resistant.

 

[justanotherdave]

I still find it ironic that Google gave Apple such a hard time about iMessage and not supporting RCS for so long.

Yet the one and only program on earth that supports it besides iMessage is Google's version of iMessage. They won't let any third party sms program use it.

This is an important point.

Google wanted Apple to add E2EE to iMessage via Google’s proprietary system so there’d be a messaging duopoly and Google would finally have a relevant messenger after 15 years of failures.

This is why they don’t open APIs so other messengers could add RCS while at the same time trying to shame Apple into adding RCS.

Then Apple stuck it to Google by saying they’ll support an industry standard version of E2EE instead.

 

[mrochester]

And still the world does not care about RCS and everyone still uses WhatsApp.

It’s almost like cross platform messaging was a solved problem.

 

[turbineseaplane]

iOS 27 is going to be really good I think.

 

[kalafalas]

Installed 26.4 beta 2 on my visible iPhone 17 pro and Google messages beta on my Tello Samsung s25 edge and I do not have encryption 🙁

 

[kalafalas]

And still the world does not care about RCS and everyone still uses WhatsApp.

It’s almost like cross platform messaging was a solved problem.

I don’t trust meta one bit. People need to move off WhatsApp and into signal, but it’ll never happen, the people are already used to WhatsApp.

 

[robvalentine]

Who cares? All my Android friends are on whatsapp.
I asked them why. Most said, because their messages app is full of spam..

Strange that because I find google much better at filtering spam, whether text or phone call spam. I use whatsapp because everyone else I know does, and not everyone I know has an iPhone.

On another note I'm amazed we are 23 replies in, and no one has complained about improved communication with non iOS devices lol.