- Apple is testing end to end encrypted RCS in the iOS 26.4 developer beta.
- Current testing only supports encryption between Apple devices.
- Public rollout will happen in a future update, not with iOS 26.4.
- Encrypted RCS will improve privacy for iPhone and Android messaging.
Apple has quietly taken a significant step toward fixing one of the most persistent friction points between iPhone and Android users. With the release of the iOS 26.4 developer beta, the company has started testing end to end encrypted RCS messaging. While the feature is not ready for public rollout just yet, it signals that secure cross platform texting is finally on the horizon.
For years, conversations between iPhone and Android users have been defined by green bubbles and limited messaging features.
Rich Communication Services, better known as RCS, improved that experience by bringing higher quality media sharing, read receipts, and typing indicators to cross platform chats. But one crucial piece has been missing. True end to end encryption between the two ecosystems.
Apple now appears ready to close that gap.
What is changing in iOS 26.4
The iOS 26.4 developer beta includes support for encrypted RCS messaging. However, there is an important limitation. In its current form, encryption works only between Apple devices running the beta.
That means developers can test the encryption framework, but secure RCS conversations between iPhone and Android devices are not yet live.
Apple has made it clear that encrypted RCS will not ship publicly with iOS 26.4. Instead, it will arrive in a future software update once broader cross platform compatibility is ready.
The company first announced its intention to support encrypted RCS last year, aligning with efforts from the GSM Association to make end to end encryption part of the next major RCS Universal Profile milestone.
When the feature does go live, it will extend beyond iPhone. Apple has said support will also reach iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in upcoming updates. That means encrypted RCS could eventually work across nearly the entire Apple ecosystem.
Why encrypted RCS matters
For iPhone users chatting within Apple’s ecosystem, iMessage has long provided end to end encryption. The same has not been true for conversations with Android users. Even after Apple adopted RCS to improve messaging quality, those chats lacked the privacy protections that many users now expect as standard.
End to end encryption ensures that only the sender and recipient can read the content of a message. Not carriers, not service providers, and not anyone intercepting data in transit. As messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal have made encryption a baseline feature, pressure has grown on platform owners to offer similar protections everywhere.
By supporting encrypted RCS, Apple narrows the privacy gap between blue bubble and green bubble conversations. It also strengthens its position in ongoing discussions about messaging standards and interoperability.
This move could help reduce criticism that Apple intentionally maintains a messaging divide. Secure RCS may not erase the visual distinction between iMessage and standard texts, but it does improve functional parity in terms of privacy.
A broader push toward messaging parity
Apple’s relationship with RCS has evolved quickly. After years of resisting the standard, the company confirmed support for RCS to enhance messaging between iPhone and Android users. That update brought clearer images, improved group chats, and modern features that SMS simply could not handle.
Encryption was the missing piece.
The GSM Association announced in late 2024 that end to end encryption would be part of the next major milestone for the RCS Universal Profile. Apple followed up in early 2025 by confirming that encrypted RCS would come to its platforms in future updates. The current beta testing shows that development is well underway.
Alongside encrypted RCS, the first iOS 26.4 developer beta also introduces a seamless way to switch between audio and video podcasts. While less headline grabbing, it reflects Apple’s ongoing refinements across its software lineup.
For now, encrypted RCS remains a preview feature for developers. But the direction is clear. Cross platform messaging between iPhone and Android is becoming more secure, more capable, and more aligned with modern privacy expectations.
When Apple finally enables encrypted RCS for everyone, it could mark the most meaningful upgrade to green bubble conversations in years.
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