Apple seeks to bridge the messaging platform gap between Apple and Android users with the rollout of RCS in iOS 18.
Adopting RCS for the iPhone has been held off for quite some time, with Apple CEO saying it wasn’t a priority in 2022. However, the need for better device interoperability and increasing pressure in regulations may have forced Apple to adopt RCS, and this will be coming out in the fall season. RCS will make cross-platform communication better, but it will not replace iMessage as it stays as the primary messaging app for iPhone to iPhone.
RCS is short for Rich Communication Services and is an improvement on SMS, or short messaging system. The protocol is similar to iMessage in terms of graphical improvements, such as seeing when the user is typing, the ‘read’ markings, and the ability to send high-quality videos and images. RCS support is set to arrive in iOS later this year.
