SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 16, 2026, 01:32 (PST)
- iOS 26.3 beta 2 code points to end-to-end encryption controls for RCS texts between iPhone and Android
- Early references appear tied to a small set of carrier bundles, with activation still unclear
- The move would narrow a long-running security gap in cross-platform texting
Apple is edging closer to offering end-to-end encryption for Rich Communication Services (RCS) texts between iPhones and Android phones, after new references surfaced in carrier bundles tied to iOS 26.3 beta 2, according to a Yahoo Tech report.
That matters because RCS — a modern replacement for SMS that adds features like read receipts and better photo sharing — has been available on iPhones since iOS 18, but cross-platform chats have largely lacked end-to-end encryption, meaning phone companies and other intermediaries could potentially see message content as it moves across networks.
The catch is timing and reach. Android Authority said the beta appears to include a new carrier-controlled setting for encryption, but only four French carriers show the line of code so far, and none has enabled it yet.
SamMobile reported that iOS could be moving toward RCS Universal Profile 3.0, a GSMA-backed standard upgrade that would improve compatibility with Samsung’s Galaxy phones and other Android devices. Alongside end-to-end encryption, it said the profile adds iMessage-style extras like Tapback reactions (emoji responses), in-line replies, and the ability to edit or unsend a message shortly after sending.
Forbes also pointed to iOS 26.3 beta signals, saying Apple appears to be laying groundwork that would let carriers support end-to-end encryption for RCS messages.
The broader iOS 26.3 update is expected later this month, and early betas include smaller changes such as wallpaper tweaks, a new iPhone-to-Android transfer option, and additional compliance-related features for European Union users, 9to5Mac wrote.
Apple has framed encrypted RCS as part of its long-running privacy pitch. “End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology,” Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer said in a March 2025 statement about bringing encryption to the RCS Universal Profile. Six Colors
The GSMA’s technical director, Tom Van Pelt, said the updated specifications show how to apply Messaging Layer Security (MLS) — a standard for encrypting messages — in RCS so content stays confidential “as they travel between clients,” according to The Hacker News. The same report noted Google’s Messages app already uses end-to-end encryption for some RCS chats, but that protection has not generally extended to iPhone-to-Android conversations. The Hacker News
Still, the rollout could be messy. Heise reported the GSMA wants RCS clients to switch encryption on by default, but it also allows exceptions where local rules prohibit it — and the iOS beta evidence suggests carriers, not Apple alone, may decide when the protection shows up market by market.
For now, users will be watching for two signals: Apple shipping iOS 26.3 to the public, and carriers actually enabling encrypted RCS in their network settings. Until both happen, the green-bubble problem stays mostly the same.
