Apple starts testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messages on iPhone
Summary
Apple is testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in the iOS 26.4 developer beta, allowing future encrypted communication between iPhone and Android users. Currently, encryption is limited to Apple devices, with broader support expected in a future update.
Key Insights
Why is end-to-end encryption for RCS messages important, and how does it differ from current RCS messaging?
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) ensures that messages cannot be read by third parties while in transit between devices. Currently, RCS messages on iPhone are not end-to-end encrypted, meaning they lack this protection. With E2EE for RCS, cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android users will have the same security level as iMessage, which has supported end-to-end encryption since 2011. This is significant because it closes a security gap in Android-to-iPhone communication that has existed since Apple added RCS support to iOS 18.1.
Why is the current iOS 26.4 beta testing limited to iPhone-to-iPhone messaging only, and when will cross-platform encryption be available?
The iOS 26.4 beta is testing RCS encryption only between iPhones (specifically between iPhone users who have disabled iMessage) because Apple is still in the early testing phase. This preliminary implementation does not yet include the capability to encrypt messages between iPhones and Android devices. Apple has confirmed that end-to-end encryption for RCS will not be included in the iOS 26.4 release itself, and the full cross-platform feature is expected in a future iOS 26 software update. Additionally, carriers must add support for encryption before the feature can roll out broadly to all users.