Apple brings encrypted RCS chats to iPhone

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FollowSee All AppleApple brings encrypted RCS chats to iPhoneThe feature is in beta as part of iOS 26. The feature is in beta as part of iOS 26. by Jay Peters Jay PetersSenior ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Technical Details

FollowSee All by Jay PetersMay 11, 2026, 5:57 PM UTC Image: Apple Jay Peters Jay PetersPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Jay Peters is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

Apple now lets you have encrypted RCS conversations with Android users through the Messages app on iOS. 5, which was released on Monday, Apple added support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta, meaning that Apple and Google can’t see your messages while they’re sent. 5, you’ll see a lock icon and a small “Encrypted” message at the top of the chat to note when you’re having an encrypted conversation with an Android user and are on a carrier that supports the feature.

Apple says that encryption will be on by default and “will be automatically enabled over time for new and existing RCS conversations. ” Android users will also need to be using the newest version of Google Messages. Apple started testing encrypted RCS chats with Android users earlier this year.

Industry Implications

5 also includes new wallpapers and the addition of ads in Maps. “Maps may show local ads based on your approximate location, current search terms, or view of the map while you search,” according to a pop-up shown I saw when I opened Maps with the update installed. Apple says advertising information “is not linked to your Apple account.

In addition to iOS 26. 5, Apple released iPadOS 26. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

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This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.