CUPERTINO, Calif., May 11, 2026, 11:03 PDT
Apple on Monday pushed out iOS 26.5, flipping the switch on beta end-to-end encryption for Rich Communication Services chats between iPhone and Android users. The move closes a persistent privacy gap in those green-bubble threads. According to Apple, the feature stays on by default and will gradually activate for both new and existing RCS conversations, but you’ll need iOS 26.5, a supported carrier, and the current version of Google Messages on your Android device.
RCS—Rich Communication Services—brings a handful of upgrades to standard mobile texting, like typing bubbles, read notifications, and much sharper media sharing, beyond what SMS ever offered. With end-to-end encryption in place, messages stay private during transit, blocking access from carriers and intermediaries.
Timing here is key: Apple users have always had encrypted iMessage chats within the company’s ecosystem, but default Messages app conversations between iPhone and Android users lacked that level of protection. Now, with the update, some of that privacy extends to regular texting—not just to Apple-exclusive chats or separate apps.
Apple is narrowing the gap with Google on secure messaging across platforms. The company’s decision comes after the GSMA rolled out its 2025 RCS Universal Profile 3.0 update, introducing end-to-end encryption through Messaging Layer Security (MLS) for RCS. Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer described end-to-end encryption as “a powerful privacy and security technology” when announcing Apple’s future software support for the standard. The Verge
Still, the rollout isn’t happening everywhere. On Apple’s carrier page, AT&T, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon Wireless all appear as U.S. carriers backing end-to-end encrypted RCS in beta. Broader carrier tables from Apple indicate the feature’s availability hinges on both network support and the user’s region.
This sets up a real-world problem: someone updates but might still miss out on full encryption in all Android chats. Heise noted Apple’s lock icon barely stands out, and green bubbles stay green—even with encryption switched on. A quick German test found one iPhone-to-Android RCS conversation got encryption, another didn’t, with no obvious explanation.
According to 9to5Mac, users will find the feature tucked away in Settings, inside Messages, then RCS Messaging. Encrypted RCS conversations display a lock icon. Despite being included in the public iOS 26.5 rollout, Apple still tags this as a beta feature.
This update stops short of making RCS into iMessage. Apple’s proprietary messaging system stays in its own lane, and iPhones continue to treat Android chats differently from those between Apple devices. What’s different now: the level of protection on supported RCS chats, not the familiar blue-versus-green bubble divide.
iOS 26.5 isn’t just about messaging tweaks—Apple’s rolling out a downloadable Pride Luminance wallpaper, plus a new “Suggested Places” area in Maps that highlights picks shaped by local trends and your search history. MacRumors notes the release is quietly setting up infrastructure for Maps ads expected before year-end. MacRumors
On Monday, Apple rolled out a wider range of software updates, bringing iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 to users. According to Mac Life, watchOS 26.5 introduces a Pride Luminance watch face. The updates for macOS Tahoe 26.5 and visionOS 26.5? Those are mostly maintenance, the publication noted.
The release also brings security fixes. According to Apple’s security note, iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 are rolling out for iPhone 11 models and newer, along with several supported iPads. The update addresses vulnerabilities in areas like Kernel, ImageIO, mDNSResponder, Shortcuts, plus other core system components.
Apple’s security releases page posted several older-system patches with a May 11 date, such as iOS 18.7.9, iPadOS 17.7.11, iOS 16.7.16, and iOS 15.8.8, plus updates for macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS.
Apple dropped $1.42 to $291.90 in U.S. trading. Shares of Alphabet, the parent of Google, slid $7.29 to $393.51.
