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Better late than never. Apple announced this before they announced iOS 26.

Doesn't Google need to do an update too? Otherwise this will only be for RCS on iPhone to RCS on another iPhone when iMessage is turned off or unavailable, right?
AFAIK Google has this integrated already and they can switch between Signal and MLS encryption on the fly?
 
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26.4 Beta 1 introduces a beta test for E2EE (currently limited to iPhone-to-iPhone RCS chats though, so probably not testable since iMessage has to be turned off).

I wonder which carriers have this enabled and what it looks like in action (if there are any changes to the experience other than an encrypted badge).
 
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Looks like this is now also cross-platform. Google probably saw Apple started testing and flicked the switch for Google Messages too.

No sight of any UP 2.7 features (reactions, edit messages etc.) though.
 
It was in the update notes that it was always a test and not going to be part of 26.4 final. It will probably launch with 27.0 is my guess.
Even though the features of 3.0 aren't the most amazing in the world, I could definitely see Apple wanting to announce it with 27 for any extra pizazz they can get.
 
Even though the features of 3.0 aren't the most amazing in the world, I could definitely see Apple wanting to announce it with 27 for any extra pizazz they can get.

If they really cared, it would have been announced in June last year.
 
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"Among the headline features of this new Universal Profile version is the introduction of Messaging‑Initiated Video Calls (MIVC). MIVC allows users to escalate any RCS 1‑to‑1 or group messaging session directly into a video call... When implemented, MIVC paves the way for the first natively supported video call experience that’s interoperable across a wide range of devices and networks."
 
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"Native support for video calls within the messaging app"

Oooh. Apple might not want to implement that, but I hope they get forced to. No more need to get my iOS device so I can FaceTime you when we can all just start a video call within the Messages app on anything that uses RCS. That's an awesome future.
 
"Native support for video calls within the messaging app"

Oooh. Apple might not want to implement that, but I hope they get forced to. No more need to get my iOS device so I can FaceTime you when we can all just start a video call within the Messages app on anything that uses RCS. That's an awesome future.

Yes. It will be a genuine alternative to WhatsApp.
 
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