Apple iPhone RCS Texting: How Your Favourite iMessage App Will Be Affected With The Change?

iPhone maker Apple will finally embrace RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging for communication next year, in a statement to 9To5Mac, the company confirmed the update. The new tweak will bundle a range of enhancements such as typing indication, read receipts, and the ability to send higher-quality media such as video and photos.

But is iMessage undergoing any changes? Is it going to go obsolete or retire? The answer is - No. The messaging app is not going away and will continue to work uninterrupted on iPhones. But RCS will exist in a separate section and SMS and MMS will be available as a second option when required, Apple said.

Also Read: Apple Agrees To Bring RCS Support To iPhones By Next Year; Aims For Better iOS And Android Connectivity

The spokesperson noted that RCS "will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users." Hence you can be worry-free as the texting app is here to stay. The company notes iMessage will offer more security and privacy than RCS. The native platform supports end-to-end encryption and Advanced Data Protection in iCloud for messages.

Apple iMessage will continue to function after the arrival of RCS on iPhones. (Image:Unsplash) 

RCS on iPhone

The feature will debut via an OTA update in 2024 to introduce several iMessage-style functions across Android and iOS-powered devices. The decision comes amid rising pressure from EU regulators and tech giants such as Google and Samsung.

Also Read: Apple Could Shut iMessage And FaceTime In This Key Market | Here's Why

"Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association. We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS," the firm's spokesperson said.

This will also allow users to share location via texts. RCS on iPhones will likely work on mobile data and Wi-Fi also. The company will work with GSMA members to improve RCS. To recall, CEO Tim Cook shared last year that it is not getting adequate pressure to consider RCS. You can read more about the upcoming feature here.