Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

2024.03.29 2 min read

In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting “later” in 2024, and Google has since revealed a more narrow timeframe.

In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the “fall of 2024.” This timeframe suggests that RCS support will be added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which should be available in beta in June and released in September. At the latest, support should be added in iOS 18.1, which is likely to be released in October.

RCS support should result in the following improvements in the Messages app for conversations between iPhones and Android smartphones:

Higher-resolution photos and videos

Audio messages

Typing indicators

Read receipts

Wi-Fi messaging

Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users

These modern features are already available for iMessage, and in many third-party messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram. RCS support on the iPhone will extend the features to green bubbles in the Messages app.