Apple and Google roll out cross-platform encrypted RCS messaging
Published: 12/05/2026
| The Register
In a blog article, Apple has announced that it is rolling out encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging in beta for iPhone users running iOS 26.5. The cross-industry effort aims to replace traditional SMS with a more secure messaging alternative. The encryption feature is available for iPhone users on supported carriers and for Android users running the latest version of Google Messages, where it is enabled by default for all conversations.
Based on the RCS Universal Profile specification, the service provides enhanced functionality, including high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and read receipts. A lock icon now appears in chats to signify that messages are encrypted and cannot be intercepted during transit.
In other tech news, Google VP of Platforms Security and Privacy David Kleidermacher discusses the privacy measures designed into its Gemini Intelligence AI model on Android.
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