RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the successor to SMS. This standard, widely adopted in industry and among operators, benefited last fall from a significant boost from Apple. For years, the computer manufacturer has been holding back in order to preserve the private garden of iMessage, its proprietary protocol for rich communication. But the Apple company has apparently finally given in to China, which is indeed imposing support for RCS on smartphones. And this has been the case since iOS 18.1.
No matter the circumstances: RCS support on both iPhone and Android is a win for users on both sides. Messages exchanged can contain high-quality images and videos (unlike MMS), there are typing indicators and delivery receipts, messages support reactions like emoji bubbles, not to mention group chats where you can easily add or remove participants.
This doesn't change the color distinction made by Apple between iPhone users (the blue bubbles) and Android users (the famous green bubbles)! But despite Despite all these advantages, RCS has one flaw: the messages are not end-to-end encrypted. This means that a third party, such as an operator or a government intelligence agency, has the possibility of spying on the exchanges.
End-to-end encryption is one of the main security features for iMessages, the messages that Apple device users exchange with each other (the blue bubbles). On the Google side, the main promoter of the format, RCS messages are also end-to-end secure... but only between users of the Google Messages app.
The GSMA, the organization responsible for standards-setting mobile technologies, has just announced that the specifications for RCS Universal Profile 3.0 now include end-to-end encryption (E2EE), based on the MLS (Messaging Layer Security) protocol. Apple has followed suit by stating that RCS E2EE will be supported via an upcoming update for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. The manufacturer does not specify when, however. But beyond From Apple, this is very good news for the entire industry!
Source: GSMA
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