The GSM Association has released new RCS specifications enabling end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging between Android and iOS, following Apple’s recent adoption of RCS. Apple stated that it will support encrypted RCS messages across its devices, enhancing its commitment to privacy since iMessage has always utilized encryption. Google highlighted its long-standing provision of encrypted RCS messaging through Google Messages and expressed enthusiasm about the updated specifications. This advancement aims to improve cross-platform messaging security, though it remains uncertain if it will change users’ perceptions of message color differences among iPhone users in North America.
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The GSM Association (GSMA, which is unrelated to us) has released updated RCS specifications enabling end-to-end encryption across different platforms. While RCS messages on Android have featured end-to-end encryption for several years, this enhanced security can now also be applied to communications between Android and iOS devices, especially since Apple joined the RCS initiative last year.
Apple has already issued the following statement on the topic:
End-to-end encryption is an essential privacy and security feature that iMessage has supported from the start, and we are proud to have contributed to a cross-industry initiative that brings end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile issued by the GSMA. We plan to introduce support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages in future updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.
Google expressed the following:
We are dedicated to providing a secure messaging experience, and Google Messages users have enjoyed end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging for years. We are thrilled to see this updated specification from GSMA and are eager to collaborate swiftly within the mobile ecosystem to implement and enhance this crucial user protection for cross-platform RCS messaging.
It appears that RCS is set to gain yet another significant feature for cross-platform messaging. Will this finally persuade North American iMessage users to regard green bubbles in the same light as blue ones? Likely not, but the GSMA, Google, and Apple are certainly making every effort to address this.
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