Encrypted cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android will be available shortly.
Encrypted cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android will be available shortly.
Apple is beginning to test end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging with the developer beta of iOS 26.4 released on Monday. Apple announced plans last year to implement the feature, and when fully implemented, it will enable iPhone and Android users to exchange encrypted RCS messages with one another across platforms.
However, during this initial rollout, Apple is currently only examining RCS encryption amongst Apple devices. It’s “not yet testable with other platforms,” Apple states. The company also doesn’t intend to roll out E2EE RCS messaging with iOS 26.4; the feature will actually be released in a “future update,” Apple mentions.
RCS messaging greatly enhances the messaging experience between iPhone and Android devices, but cross-platform encryption has been a significant gap. The GSM Association, which assists in developing RCS, announced in September 2024 that it was progressing on E2EE messages as part of the “next major milestone” for the RCS Universal Profile, and Apple mentioned in March 2025 that it would enable E2EE RCS messages on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS through “future software updates.
The initial iOS 26.4 developer beta additionally provides the ability to “seamlessly” transition between audio and video podcasts.
