SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 15, 2026, 11:48 (PST)
- The latest iOS 26.3 beta reveals controls for end-to-end encryption in RCS messages with Android devices.
- The feature currently seems restricted to just a few French carriers and hasn’t gone live yet.
- Apple had announced plans to introduce encrypted RCS support in an upcoming software update.
Apple is preparing for end-to-end encryption in RCS messages with iOS 26.3 beta 2, the texting protocol used when iPhones communicate with Android devices, according to Android Authority. The new carrier settings show up exclusively for four French carriers, but none have activated the feature so far. 1
This is important because RCS now serves as the default “bridge” for everyday messaging between iPhones and Android phones, yet it doesn’t offer the same privacy safeguards as iMessage. Unlike RCS, iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the sender and recipient can read the messages—not the carrier or the platform handling the data.
Apple’s latest iPhone software, iOS 26, supports iPhone 11 models and newer, the company confirms. This means any update to Messages can spread rapidly across all compatible devices. 2
Apple’s developer site lists iOS 26.3 beta 2 as the latest test version available to developers. These betas usually serve as a testing ground for network and messaging updates prior to public release. 3
German tech site heise reported that the beta includes a carrier-bundle key named “SupportsE2EE,” suggesting that mobile carriers might have control over enabling encrypted RCS on their networks. Heise also referenced GSMA guidelines pushing for encryption by default, except where local regulations forbid it. 4
Apple hasn’t shared much about when exactly this will happen. Back in March 2025, Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer told The Verge, “We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages … in future software updates.” On the other hand, Google’s Ed Fernandez pointed out that Google Messages users “have had end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging for years.” 5
Google’s support docs now confirm that end-to-end encryption for RCS only kicks in if everyone in the chat uses Google Messages with RCS turned on — a barrier that encrypted iPhone-to-Android RCS would aim to overcome. 6
Beta hints don’t promise an imminent launch. Carriers might delay support, features often roll out regionally, and even limited legal limits on encryption could alter what users see in the Messages app.
Currently, iMessage stays end-to-end encrypted only when both users are on Apple devices. In contrast, iPhone-to-Android RCS conversations rely on the carrier and the specific implementation of the standard by Apple and Google.
