Apple adds encrypted SMS to iPhone, Google is the one most happy about it

Apple is finally bringing end-to-end encryption for messages between iPhones and Androids. This move comes nearly two years after Apple added RCS support to iOS. And Google may be the happiest about it. Here are the details.

In Short

• Apple adds end-to-end encryption for texts between iPhone and Android
• You can now send encrypted RCS messages between both platforms
• Google had previously pushed Apple to adopt RCS

Apple has announced that RCS messages between iPhone and Android users will now be end-to-end encrypted. That is, now your text messages sent between iPhone and Android devices are now more secure.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on X, “Today, we’re starting to roll out end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between Android and iPhone users!”

RCS refers to Rich Communication Services. It is a modern internet-based protocol that replaces SMS/MMS. Through RCS, users can share videos, images and even get read receipts.

Do note that there has been a fair share of controversy over RCS texts between Google and Apple. But before we get into what happened over RCS on iOS, let’s understand what’s new with encrypted messages.

Encrypted messages between iPhone and Android

In a release, Apple stated that it had worked with Google as part of a cross-industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to RCS. End-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and the receiver can access, read, or decrypt messages.

Users will see a lock icon in RCS chats when a conversation is protected. Apple and Google said encryption will be on by default and will automatically be enabled over time for new and existing RCS conversations.

Apple clarified that iMessage remains its preferred option for communication between Apple devices, and it has always been end-to-end encrypted.

Can I send encrypted messages now?

End-to-end encryption for RCS messages between the two platforms is in beta for now. Apple states that it is available for iPhone users running iOS 26.5, with supported carriers.

As per the Apple website, Jio supports RCS messages for iPhones in India. On Android, users can get encrypted RCS messages by using the latest version of Google Messages.

Why Google wanted Apple to support RCS

Until now, messages exchanged between iPhone and Android phones could use RCS for some features but could not be end-to-end encrypted. But there is more to the story.

iMessage, the default platform for messages between Apple devices, has been encrypted since its launch in 2011. Android users have been able to use end-to-end encrypted RCS among themselves in Google Messages since 2021.

For years, the lack of a common standard left texting between iPhone and Android users facing issues while trying to have a common chat. Group chats could break on iMessage whenever an Android user would join an iMessage conversation. Photos and videos were often compressed, reducing quality. Even reactions and read receipts didn’t work smoothly.

In 2022, Google ran a #getthemessage social campaign. The campaign pushed Apple to adopt RCS. It stated, "Texting between iPhone and Android is broken. It's time for Apple to fix green and blue bubbles, and texting for everyone.”

While Apple did bring RCS support in 2024 that fixed most user problems, the messages did not get end-to-end encrypted. The classic green bubble/blue bubble saga also remains to this day. That is, texts sent to Android come with green bubbles – as opposed to blue bubbles for iOS users.

Though, Google VP Adrienne Lofton said last year, “The Green/Blue bubble battle is silly, and it's tired, and at Google, we're done with that conversation.”

- Ends