- RCS messaging is rolling to iPhone users via the iOS 18 update across multiple mobile operators in the US, Canada, and Europe.
- The addition of RCS on iPhones won't remove Green bubbles but end the broken cross-platform messaging era.
- Users can now send high-quality images, and videos, and use the read receipts feature, alongside message reactions.
Apple announced RCS back in WWDC24 alongside Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT integration, and it’s a huge deal for consumers across the globe. The company is now rolling out RCS in iOS 18, and users in the US, Canada, and some parts of Europe can now share rich text messages with their Android friends. Here’s everything you need to know about RCS on iOS 18, what it brings, and if it’s any different from RCS on Android.
What is RCS?
RCS or Rich Communication Services is a modern messaging standard that was initially adopted by Google in Google Messages, and then by Samsung. It ditches cellular network formats like SMS and MMS and works on Wi-Fi and mobile data instead.
This enables features such as read receipts and the ability to send and receive media in high quality, essentially making communication between any two devices “feature-rich” regardless of the operating system.
RCS Supported Carriers
As of writing this, RCS is only available on iPhones in the US, Canada, and some European countries. According to Apple, RCS messages is available in the US for these operators:
- AT&T
- C Spire
- Consumer Cellular
- Cricket
- FirstNet
- Metro by T-Mobile
- PureTalk
- Red Pocket
- Spectrum
- T-Mobile USA
- TracFone / Straight Talk
- US Cellular
- Verizon Wireless
- Visible
- Xfinity Mobile
You can check out this Apple Support page to learn whether your wireless carrier supports RCS messaging at your current region.
How to Enable RCS on iOS 18
If your iPhone is running iOS 18, but you still don’t see RCS, it may take time to show up as it’s gradually rolling out. Since it’s an opt-in feature, you will have to enable RCS inside the Settings app. Here’s where to find and activate RCS on iOS 18:
- On your iPhone, launch the Settings app.
- Here, go to Apps > Messages.
- On this screen, scroll down and turn on RCS Messaging toggle under “Text Messaging”.
- Now, open the Messages app and try sending RCS messages to a contact or reacting to existing messages.
- If RCS doesn’t work, toggle it off and on again, restart your iPhone, or turn on and off Airplane Mode.
How Does RCS Work on iOS 18?
RCS on iOS works just like on Android. There’s richer texting with features like message reactions, read receipts, and high-quality media sharing, finally bridging the texting gap between iOS and Android.
Apple hasn’t revealed the specific RCS version coming to iPhones. However, when Mishaal Rahman asked one of Google’s Business Development Managers, he was told it would be the Universal Profile 2.4 which introduced business messaging (RBM) in 2019.
We’re not sure if Apple includes support for RBM in the stable version of iOS 18, since it already has a similar thing called Apple Business Chat in iMessage. Hence, take what everyone said about RBM coming to iOS with a grain of salt.
RCS on iPhone vs RCS on Android
While Google Messages utilizes the RCS protocol, it adds encryption and other features on top. RCS on iPhone currently supports read receipts, and receiving and sending high-quality media. Besides, there’s support for group chats.
RCS messages on iPhones are not encrypted because Apple is using the Universal Profile of Rich Communication Services, a basic version. RCS encryption depends on the provider, but Google Messages offers it separately. It is unlikely that Apple will implement it to avoid competing with its iMessage.
Do Green Bubbles Still Exist?
Green bubbles are still here, yes. Messages sent from an Android device will still appear green on iPhones. This was quite expected from Apple, as they wouldn’t want to stop forcing Android users to switch to iMessage. The Green and Blue bubble war is very much alive and here to stay; it’s just been eased a little.
How’s the Current Experience Using RCS?
In our experience, RCS on iPhone is still beta-esque. From read receipts to high-quality media, and file transfers, everything seems to be working as intended. When you try to message a contact, the placeholder text in the text box will say “RCS message” and not “SMS.” That’s how you know RCS is available.
There were instances where read receipts ceased to work in group chats. There also seems to be a known issue with message reactions, as they sometimes work one way, from Google’s side and not on Apple’s.
Since these are the initial days of RCS on iPhones, we may see some improvement in future updates that should it more streamlined and user-friendly.
RCS on iOS 18: A Huge Win for Consumers
Despite potential limitations in features, RCS messaging with high-quality media sharing is a major win for consumers, especially for Android users. While the green bubble issue remains, RCS on iOS paves the way for a more unified messaging experience across platforms, and that’s something to celebrate. High-quality multimedia, read receipts, and message reactions are all huge wins for consumers.
What are your thoughts on Apple RCS support on iOS? Did you expect the Blue bubble-green Bubble problem to go away? What are some of the features you’d like to see in RCS? Let us know in the comments below.
