It’s still almost impossible to believe, but Apple is adopting RCS on the iPhone next year. While there’s a ton we don’t know, it’s a big deal that very much opens the door to big changes in the Android vs iPhone debate. However, my big question is if it will be enough to change the ongoing Android vs iPhone peer pressure that often turns into actual bullying.
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So, first let’s talk about the big news.
Starting in late 2024 (aka probably iOS 18), Apple will integrate RCS into its messaging app alongside iMessage, with SMS being the “backup.” Apple says that iMessage will continue as the “most secure” option for iPhone users, but the company will be using the same Universal Profile that Google is. We don’t know if it will be end-to-end encrypted, but it’s looking like it will support features like read receipts, better group chats, high-quality photo/video attachments, and Apple explicitly mentioned support for sharing your location in text threads via RCS.
It’s probably the biggest news we’ve had in Android vs iPhone in years, and mind-blowingly comes just a couple of months after Apple adopted USB-C on the iPhone. Google is even helping make it a reality.
Wild times.
For me, though, I’m just glad that this gives a genuine opportunity for the conversation around Android vs iPhone to change in a potentially positive way. Because it’s abundantly clear that the peer pressure and bullying around people’s choice of phone is just getting…
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