Google said RCS support is coming to iPhone this fall, and I think it’s likely we’ll see RCS work with iMessage in iOS 18.
Apple shocked the world late last year, announcing out of the blue (pun intended) that it’ll bring RCS support to the iPhone. Finally, finally, granting the wish of Google, carriers, and some diehard Android users who still haven’t figured out how to chat with their iPhone friends.
The RCS rollout wouldn’t be immediate, as Apple said RCS support will be ready at some point this year. It wouldn’t be Google’s version of RCS either, but the standard the GSMA approved. That means it wouldn’t support encryption at first.
I said recently the move was enough to defeat Google’s PR campaign against iMessage. It also was a great move in anticipation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) deadlines in Europe and a looming antitrust investigation in the US.
Fast-forward to late March, and the DMA is in force in Europe. But iMessage isn’t a gatekeeper so Apple doesn’t have to make the app work with third-party chat apps in Europe. Meta must make WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger interoperable in the region.
Also, the Justice Department sued Apple, and the antitrust case covers Apple’s alleged use of iMessage to lock people to the iPhone and its ecosystem.
While Apple still hasn’t announced when RCS support is coming to the iPhone, Google might have inadvertently jumped the gun. Google said that Apple will roll out RCS support in the fall of 2024, which would indicate the feature will be part of Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update.
Google has pulled the remark from its pages, but I think it’s happening. Apple will have to bring RCS support to the iPhone this year and make a big deal about it. It’s not just about the DOJ’s antitrust case.Google’s leak
It’s unclear why Google said on its new RCS pages that RCS is “coming soon on iOS.” Here’s what Google actually wrote, via 9to5Google:
Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone.
It could be a genuine mistake or an intentional one meant to somewhat revive Google’s push for RCS support on the iPhone. But Apple has already confirmed RCS support is coming to the iPhone this year. There’s no reason to try to pressure Apple, especially at this point.
Whatever the case, Google has removed the remark from its pages, but not before the internet saw it.
