Apple is finally testing RCS encryption, but there’s a catch for Android users

Apple is finally testing RCS encryption, but there’s a catch for Android users

RCS on iMessage top of chat

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
  • Apple has started testing end-to-end encrypted RCS in the first iOS 26.4 developer beta.
  • RCS encryption currently works only between iPhones, not between iPhone and Android.
  • Apple says full RCS E2EE will arrive in a future software update across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.

The long-awaited bridge between iPhone and Android security is finally starting to take shape, but for now, Apple is keeping the process limited to its own system.

With the first developer beta of iOS 26.4 rolling out this week, Apple has quietly activated early support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in RCS (Rich Communication Services) within its Messages app. This is a big step because it brings Apple’s phone-number-based texting up to the same security level as Google’s RCS and Apple’s iMessage.