iOS 26.5 Brings Default End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messaging Between iPhone and Android
May 12, 2026
Encryption / Mobile Security
Apple on Monday officially released iOS 26.5 with support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to Rich Communication Services (RCS) in beta as part of a "cross-industry effort" to replace traditional SMS with a more secure alternative. To that end, E2EE RCS messaging is rolling out to iPhone users running iOS 26.5 with supported carriers and Android users on the latest version of Google Messages. The feature is enabled by default for both new and existing conversations in both platforms. RCS is a modern, internet-based messaging protocol that allows Android and iPhone users to send high-resolution photos and videos, see typing indicators, and receive read receipts, features all typically present in instant messaging apps. It is built on an industry specification called the RCS Universal Profile . "When RCS messages are end-to-end encrypted, they can't be read while they're sent between devices," Apple said in a statement. "Users will know that a conv...