Apple is finally taking iPhone-Android chats more seriously

When Apple introduced support for the RCS standard with iOS 18 in September 2024, the communication between the two leading mobile operating systems has taken a significant step forward.

However, there was still one essential element missing to match the user experience: the security of mixed conversations. At the time, the California-based company had promised that chats between iOS and Android devices would soon enjoy full encryption.

Today, just over a year and a half since those initial statements, the company is officially keeping its word, launching tests to close a historic flaw in the privacy of cross-platform communications.

Encryption coming to iMessage, even when chatting with “an Android”

Up to now, message protection has always been distinctly fragmented. Exclusive communications between Apple users are already widely protected by the proprietary cryptographic PQ3 protocol, while text exchanges between Android devices are secured through the established Signal protocol.

The technological bridge to unite these two ecosystems now arrives with the latest developer version, the iOS 26.4 Developer Beta 2. As highlighted by the outlet Android Authority, this release starts tests for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) dedicated specifically to cross-platform RCS messaging between competing platforms.

From a strictly technical standpoint, this implementation leverages the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 established by the GSMA, which employs the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) standard to ensure that clients on different devices can communicate securely.

Release details and initial limitations

However, despite the obvious importance of this development, Apple clarified via the developer release notes that it will still take some time before the general public can benefit from it in a stable form.

The RCS end-to-end encryption feature is currently in an embryonic testing phase and will not be included in the final public release of this specific iteration. Its official availability for consumers is scheduled for future updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS and watchOS.

Furthermore, the company notes that E2EE protection, in this delicate launch phase, will not be supported by all Apple devices and will require compatibility with specific mobile carriers.

If conversations display the encryption label, however, messages will be completely unreadable during transit from one phone to another, thus ensuring maximum privacy for senders and recipients.

How to participate in the testing phase

For more experienced users and developers who want to test this security level in advance, access requires specific configurations on both sides.

Users running Apple’s latest developer beta can enable support by navigating the device’s settings, selecting the Messages option, entering the RCS messaging section, and enabling the beta end-to-end encryption option.

For encrypted communication to succeed, the interlocutor’s cooperation is essential: Android users will necessarily need to be enrolled in the Google Messages app beta program, thereby enabling the two systems to correctly complete the verification procedure and establish a connection finally protected from prying eyes.