Apple has released the latest beta for iOS 26.4 and it promises to make texting between iPhone and Android smartphones safer. iOS 26.4 beta 2 is out for developers now and adds support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iOS and Android smartphones.
That promises to close a loophole that has existed since iOS 18 when Apple added support for Rich Communication Services for cross-platform texting, as a replacement for the archaic SMS.
RCS made it possible for iOS and Android users to exchange texts with better resolution photos and videos, read receipts and support for better audio messages. It was much more like the experience of using iMessage for iPhone to iPhone users, but it lacked the all important end-to-end encryption that RCS offered on Android-to-Android texting. E2E encryption ensures that no third-parties can view the messages without access to the origin or receiving devices. In this era of mass surveillance, that’s important.
The first iOS 26.4 beta added RCS for iPhone-exclusive conversations and the follow up does the same for inter-operating system messaging. In order to make use of it, users with iOS 26.4 beta 2 installed must be texting with an Android users on the latest beta of Google Messages, 9to5Mac reports. Also stating support depends on the mobile carriers. In order to access the feature on iPhone, users can head to Settings > Messages > RCS Messaging and turn on End-to-End beta encryption.
The report also adds that the full support won’t actually arrive in the consumer release of iOS 26.4. This is just for testing purposes. However, we can probably expect it before the summer.
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