Encrypted messages across platforms between iPhone and Android are on their way.
Encrypted messages across platforms between iPhone and Android are on their way.
Apple has begun testing end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging with the developer beta of iOS 26.4 launched on Monday. Plans for this feature were announced last year, and when fully implemented, it will allow users of iPhone and Android to exchange encrypted RCS messages seamlessly across platforms.
In this preliminary phase, however, Apple is only evaluating RCS encryption among its own devices. It is “not yet available for testing with other platforms,” according to Apple. The company also does not anticipate releasing E2EE RCS messaging with iOS 26.4; the functionality will actually become publicly available in a “future update,” as stated by Apple.
RCS messaging greatly enhances the texting experience between iPhone and Android users, though cross-platform encryption had been a significant gap. The GSM Association, which plays a role in the development of RCS, revealed in September 2024 that it was working on E2EE messaging as part of the “next major milestone” for the RCS Universal Profile, and Apple stated in March 2025 that it would incorporate E2EE RCS messaging on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in “upcoming software updates.”
The initial iOS 26.4 developer beta also offers a feature to “seamlessly” transition between audio and video podcasts.
