For years, the dreaded “green bubble” has been a thorn in the side of iPhone users. It represents a messaging experience devoid of modern features, as iOS relegates conversations with Android phones to the digital stone age of SMS. This outdated messaging paradigm has reportedly led to social divisions, especially among young people, with some even excluding Android users from their dating pools rather than endure the indignity of messaging with a green bubble. For Android users, the situation is equally frustrating: while messaging between Android phones is smooth, photos and videos sent to iPhones are often compressed into unrecognizable clumps of pixels. Thankfully, Apple is finally addressing this issue by adding support for RCS, the messaging standard long supported by Android devices.
What Is RCS?
RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is essentially text messaging updated for modern standards. Unlike SMS, which relies on cellular networks, RCS uses a data connection to deliver Internet-enhanced messaging features similar to those found on platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Signal. RCS chats typically include typing indicators, read receipts, emoji reactions, and higher quality media sharing.
For iPhone users, this new — and somewhat hidden — iMessage feature means that the frustrations Apple has imposed on “green bubble” conversations will largely become a thing of the past. In the United States, most wireless carriers and Android phones have supported RCS for some time. With the update to iOS 18, the experience of chatting with an Android user will be much closer to that of chatting with another iPhone user. Here’s a look at the key features coming to iPhone-Android conversations with iOS 18.
Improved Media Quality
One of the biggest pain points for iPhone users has been the inability to send or receive high-quality photos and videos to or from Android phones. With SMS, files are limited to about 3.5 MB, resulting in heavily compressed and pixelated media. With iOS 18, Apple has added RCS capabilities to the iMessage app, significantly improving this experience.
For those on the current iOS 18 beta, photos and videos sent to non-iOS devices will no longer be nearly as compressed and will arrive in much higher resolution — assuming the recipient is also using RCS. The same is true for media sent by RCS-enabled Android devices to iPhones. No longer will photos and videos from Android contacts be reduced to the size of thumbnails.
However, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t expect to send RAW photos or 4K videos. All media will still undergo some compression, and large files will suffer the most. For those looking to send full-size photos and videos, a cloud hosting service like Dropbox or Google Photos remains the best option. That said, for casual photo sharing with friends and family, RCS will get the job done.
Read Receipts and Typing Indicators
Another example of the smart messaging features bundled with RCS on iPhone is read receipts. These indicators will tell you when the other person has opened your message. On iOS, read receipts will appear as text beneath a message. When the message has been delivered to the recipient’s phone, iOS users will see “Delivered,” and when read, the text will update to “Read.” Android users will see the same indicators they’re used to when messaging other Android users on RCS: two encircled check marks for delivered messages that turn solid blue when the message is read.
In the current beta of iOS 18, read receipts cannot be turned off for RCS messaging. This means your Android friends using RCS will be able to see when you’ve read their messages. However, Google Messages on Android does allow read receipts to be disabled, so you won’t necessarily know when your messages have been read by your Android contacts. There’s a good chance Apple will add the option to disable read receipts before the official release of iOS 18, but as of now, that option does not exist.
Typing indicators are another welcome addition. Just like when messaging between iPhones, iOS 18 users will now see a typing indicator (three dots) when an Android user with RCS enabled is typing. This feature, which is standard across internet-connected messaging apps, has been absent on the older SMS standard that iPhones have defaulted to when messaging Android devices.
Enhanced Emoji Reactions and Group Chats
Emoji reactions will also be more robust with RCS. Although emoji reactions between iPhones and Androids were possible using SMS, it often required clunky workarounds. Now, with iOS 18, Apple has added true compatibility for emoji reactions between iPhones and Android devices.
One of the biggest complaints iPhone users have had about Apple’s messaging system is that group chats with Android users defaulted to MMS, an older standard for multimedia messaging. By adding RCS support to iOS 18, group chats that include non-Apple devices will now use RCS instead. Reports suggest that group chats with both iOS and Android users are working smoothly in the current beta.
Key Limitations and What’s Next
While RCS on iPhone is a major step forward, there are some limitations in the current iOS 18 beta. The most notable is that RCS messages between iPhones and Android devices will not be encrypted with end-to-end encryption. This means you shouldn’t send sensitive information over these chats. While iPhones have never been able to send encrypted messages to Android users over SMS, it’s disappointing that encryption isn’t available for RCS messages.
Other limitations include: RCS only works in the United States and only if your iPhone is registered with AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile. Direct replies, message unsend, and message editing are also not available for cross-platform RCS conversations. Hopefully, future updates from Apple or Google will address some of these issues.
Conclusion
Apple’s implementation of RCS in iOS 18 marks a significant step in the right direction. Rather than continuing to force users to choose between platforms, Apple has taken a clear step toward better cross-platform communication. While there are still some limitations, the move to adopt RCS is a win for both iPhone and Android users, promising a more seamless messaging experience for all
