07.09.2025
In March, Apple said that it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates, and we
End-to-end encryption for RCS was announced in March, as part of version 3.0 of the RCS Universal Profile, a global standard for RCS features and specifications. This means that Apple has indirectly confirmed that it will support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which includes not only end-to-end encryption for RCS, but several other iMessage-like enhancements for RCS that were originally introduced in RCS Universal Profile 2.7.
Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, once Apple rolls out support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0:
- End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage
- In-line replies
- Edit messages
- Unsend messages
- Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, with no special workarounds
RCS will be playing catch up with iMessage in many ways. iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have already supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16.
It seems likely that Apple will roll out these RCS upgrades at some point during the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 software cycle.
Related Forum: iOS 26
This article, "Apple's Promised RCS Upgrade Still Not Implemented in iOS 26 Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
You may also be interested in this
Apple’s Messages to add t…
05.31.2024
Apple’s Messages icon Apple plans to add a new text effects for individual words feature to the company’s Messages app in next-gen OSes MacRumors reports citing “multiple sources familiar with
Apple Seeds Third Beta of…
07.05.2023
Apple today seeded the third beta of the upcoming macOS 14 Sonoma update to developers for testing purposes. The beta comes two weeks after the launch of the second beta.
The green bubble problem …
06.09.2023
Image: Apple Apple has spent years slowly making green bubbles feel like a worse kind of message — no typing indicators, tiny photos, no end-to-end encryption — but those constraints
Apple to support RCS mess…
11.16.2023
Apple’s Messages icon Apple will add RCS messaging support to iPhone, iPad, Mac through a software release early next year, the company said in a statement. Lance Ulanoff for TechRadar:
Apple previews iPadOS 17
06.05.2023
iPadOS 17 delivers the most personal and capable iPad experience ever, with a beautiful and useful Lock Screen, easier ways to find and share information, and intelligent new features to
10 things you didn’t know…
07.07.2023
Macworld When Apple unveiled its first-ever smartwatch back in 2014, it’s fair to say that the world wasn’t exactly sure what it was for… and neither was Apple. In those
The best iOS 17 changes a…
06.08.2023
Macworld Apple had plenty of great things to show off when it unveiled iOS 17 at WWDC. We’re psyched about vastly improved autocorrect, StandBy, Live Voicemail transcriptions, custom contact posters,
iOS 26 Will Add 10 New Fe…
06.11.2025
iOS 26 includes significant updates for Messages, with the app set to receive at least 10 new features and changes on the iPhone. Below, we recap what is new in
