With the rollout of the iOS 18 public beta, iPhone users are poised to experience a major upgrade in cross-platform communication: RCS messaging. This feature has been eagerly anticipated, given its potential to enhance messaging between iPhone and Android devices.
What is RCS?
RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging is like a modern take on traditional SMS, bringing enhanced features such as read receipts, high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and more reliable group chats. While iMessage already offers these capabilities within the Apple ecosystem, RCS extends similar functionalities to interactions between iPhones and Android devices.
The Rollout
iOS 18’s public beta has sparked significant interest due to the inclusion of RCS messaging. Initially, RCS capabilities are rolling out incrementally—first to major U.S. carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, with additional carriers in Canada and Europe like Videotron, Telus Mobility, and Bell, as well as Telefonica in Spain and SFR in France also joining the fray.
How to Enable RCS on Your iPhone
To take advantage of RCS on an iPhone running iOS 18 beta, users should navigate to Settings > Apps > Messages and toggle on the RCS Messaging setting. However, availability is contingent on carrier support, so some users may need to wait as more carriers onboard.
Expected Improvements
The adoption of RCS on iPhones is set to bridge the gap in message interoperability between iOS and Android, making everyday communication more seamless. Despite RCS messages still appearing as green bubbles, they will be marked clearly as “Text Message – RCS” within conversations, differentiating them from standard SMS texts.
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