{"id":480633,"date":"2026-02-17T12:16:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/480633\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:16:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:16:13","slug":"apple-tests-rcs-end-to-end-encryption-on-iphone-without-android","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/480633\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple tests RCS end-to-end encryption on iPhone without Android"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Apple\u2019s latest iOS 26.4 beta is now available for iPhone owners, with an added perk for RCS messaging \u2013 end-to-end encryption. But, unfortunately, that doesn\u2019t work with Android yet.<\/p>\n

Within the changelog of the iOS 26.4 beta<\/a>, Apple details that it is now testing end-to-end encryption in RCS<\/a> messaging on iPhone. The feature is \u201cnot shipping in this release,\u201d but will be coming later for certain devices and carriers.<\/p>\n

Apple explains<\/a>:<\/p>\n

RCS end-to-end encryption is now available for testing in this beta. This feature is not shipping in this release and will be available to customers in a future software update for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not available for all devices or carriers. Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can\u2019t be read while they\u2019re sent between devices. In this beta, RCS encryption is available for testing between Apple devices and is not yet testable with other platforms.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that last bit that\u2019s important to note, though. <\/p>\n

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While Apple is testing encryption for RCS messages, it\u2019s not supporting Android during this test. It doesn\u2019t seem like that\u2019s off the table, as Apple says it is \u201cnot yet testable,\u201d but either way, we\u2019ll be waiting a bit longer for it to arrive. It\u2019s interesting, though, seeing as RCS is primarily used for iPhone-to-Android communication, as iPhone users generally utilize iMessage with SMS as a fallback. <\/p>\n

Notably, a lack of encryption was one of the key excuses used leading up to Apple\u2019s overdue adoption of RCS on the iPhone, with Apple even directly calling out<\/a> the lack of support when it did announce support in 2023. In 2024, Google confirmed <\/a>that encryption between RCS messages on iPhone and Android was in the pipeline, and it was about a year ago<\/a> that the GSMA \u2013 the organization in charge of the RCS standard \u2013 announced end-to-end encryption as a part of the standard. Google first added its own end-to-end encryption on top of RCS back in 2020<\/a>, with plans to adopt the new standard<\/a> in the future.<\/p>\n

You can learn more about what\u2019s new in the iOS 26.4 beta from our sister site, 9to5Mac:<\/p>\n

More on RCS:<\/p>\n

Follow Ben:\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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