As I watched Apple’s Craig Federighi give the rundown on iOS 18 throughout right this moment’s WWDC stream, I couldn’t assist however discover that there was no point out of RCS assist through the many presentation slides and speaking factors. In any case, Apple pledged assist for RCS this yr after a lot strain, and on condition that iOS 18 is the corporate’s subsequent massive platform replace, it appeared like RCS could be a part of the agenda.
READ: The DOJ Case Towards Apple May Lastly Repair the RCS-iMessage Conundrum
When all was mentioned and finished nonetheless, we technically did hear “RCS” uttered on the occasion, though all we bought was a fast quip of the function being included in iOS 18, together with a recap of the whole lot else revealed through the present as much as that time. No particular deep dive into the way it works inside Apple’s framework or anything about it, apart from it should arrive with iOS 18. It’s a degree of Android snubbery that might have made Steve Jobs proud, given the lengthy rivalry between iOS and Android.
For these unfamiliar with the entire difficulty, Apple has been notorious for refusing to undertake RCS messaging, regardless of it being the trendy commonplace utilized by almost all different smartphone producers today. The corporate’s “walled garden” methodology extends to its iMessage service, which it so very clearly desires to maintain pure by preserving options locked solely for iPhone customers.
Going again to WWDC 2024, this ignorance doesn’t add something new to what we all know from earlier updates, apart from RCS is coming to iOS. With that being mentioned, Mishaal Rahman over from Android Authority did share a screenshot on social media that offers a preview of how RCS will seem on iPhones, which was lifted from Apple’s official iOS 18 preview web page.
In equity to Apple, it does include the necessities reminiscent of assist for learn receipts, simpler file sharing and such. However it appears that evidently the Cupertino big desires to stay to its weapons and maintain doing issues its approach with simply the fundamentals, inexperienced bubbles and all. It does appear very barebones, and given how the corporate has complied with regulatory mandates previously, it’s not too stunning.
It’s value noting although that Apple’s model of RCS could have some key variations from the one you could be accustomed to – for instance, whereas RCS on Google Messages makes use of end-to-end encryption between Android customers, it’s predicted that Apple’s method to RCS received’t assist end-to-end encryption for messages between iPhones and Android units.
READ: Google confirms when Apple will deliver RCS to iPhones
With all that being mentioned, we’re nonetheless months away from iOS 18’s last type – maybe I’ll be confirmed unsuitable, and Apple may in any case current us with a really “rich” communication service later within the Fall. Because it stands now although, it’s clear that it’s hell-bent on doing issues its personal approach, simply sufficient to get by the principles.