Apple's Plan for End-to-End Encrypted RCS in iOS 26: What to Expect


Apple has long been committed to improving privacy and security in its ecosystem. In March, the company announced that it would add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages in future updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. As of the third developer beta of iOS 26, however, this feature still hasn’t arrived.

While many are eager for this upgrade, it’s clear that Apple is carefully coordinating with global carriers and standards to deliver a seamless experience. Let’s explore what RCS support will look like on Apple devices once Universal Profile 3.0 is fully implemented.

What is RCS and Why Is It Important?

RCS is designed to modernize traditional SMS messaging, offering richer media, typing indicators, read receipts, and more. It's effectively the successor to SMS and MMS, finally bringing texting into the 21st century.

Apple added baseline RCS support in iOS 18, aligning with RCS Universal Profile 2.4. But this implementation lacks some of the advanced features and security that users expect from iMessage. That’s where Universal Profile 3.0 comes in.

RCS Universal Profile 3.0: The Big Leap

In March, Apple confirmed it would support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which introduces major improvements:

  • End-to-end encryption, protecting messages from being read by anyone—including Apple or carriers—while they’re in transit.

  • Several iMessage-like features originally introduced in Universal Profile 2.7, helping close the gap between RCS and Apple’s blue-bubble experience.

However, Apple isn’t working in isolation. Carriers worldwide must adopt and implement Universal Profile 3.0. This dependency is one of the main reasons for the delay.

While Apple is preparing to deliver a more secure and feature-rich messaging standard, users still need reliable ways to share large files, photos, and videos seamlessly across devices today. That’s where third-party fast share apps like Smart Transfer come in.

Smart Transfer’s clone phone files feature is designed for easy, secure, cross-platform file sharing. Whether you're moving content between iPhone and Android or transferring data to a new device, it offers a smooth, ad-free experience that works right now—no waiting for carrier rollouts or system updates. It is the perfect app for Tmobile contact transfer users. As Apple evolves its messaging experience, Smart Transfer ensures your important files and memories are always just a tap away.

Five New RCS Features Coming to Apple Devices

When the upgrade rolls out—likely during the iOS 26 software cycle—users can expect these long-awaited capabilities:

  1. End-to-End Encryption
     Messages and attachments will be securely encrypted in transit, preventing any third party from accessing them.

  2. In-Line Replies
     Similar to iMessage, users can respond to specific messages in a thread for clearer conversations.

  3. Edit Messages
     Mistyped something? Edit your sent messages seamlessly.

  4. Unsend Messages
     Retract sent messages if you change your mind.

  5. Full Tapback Support
     React to messages with expressive icons natively, without awkward workarounds.

These enhancements will make RCS on Apple devices much more competitive with iMessage, delivering a unified, modern messaging experience.

How RCS Still Plays Catch-Up with iMessage

While these updates are exciting, RCS is essentially playing catch-up with iMessage:

  • End-to-end encryption has been a default iMessage feature since iOS 5.

  • In-line replies arrived with iOS 14.

  • Edit and unsend capabilities came with iOS 16.

For users deeply embedded in Apple’s ecosystem, these features have long been standard. The upcoming RCS improvements will mainly benefit cross-platform conversations—especially with Android users.

When Will Apple Release These RCS Features?

Apple hasn’t provided a precise release date for Universal Profile 3.0 support. However, given its March announcement and the ongoing development in iOS 26 betas, it's likely to arrive sometime during the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 software cycle.

Until then, users can look forward to even more unified, secure, and feature-rich messaging—finally bridging the gap between iPhone and Android in a way that respects user privacy.

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