Apple Announces Long-Awaited Support for RCS on iPhones, Addressing Messaging Compatibility Concerns

Apple announced on Thursday its plan to incorporate support for the RCS (Rich Communication Services) standard on iOS next year. This significant reversal aims to address the common problem of text messaging compatibility between iPhones and Android smartphones. However, it falls short of completely eliminating the colloquially termed "green bubble" concern.

For years, critics have contended that Apple's persistent reluctance to adopt RCS has contributed to the fragmentation of messaging ecosystems, creating challenges for Android users in particular. Apple's stance, which has been perceived as a strategy to maintain exclusivity within its ecosystem, has sparked ongoing debates within the tech community regarding the importance of interoperability and user convenience.

In a sudden turn of events, Apple declared today that it now acknowledges the benefits of the "RCS Universal Profile" in enhancing interoperability, surpassing the capabilities of traditional SMS or MMS. The company, set to introduce this support next year, emphasized that it will complement iMessage, which will persist as the premier and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.

This significant policy shift by Apple comes after persistent requests from Google, along with public pressure, urging Apple to integrate support for RCS into iPhones. Hiroshi Lockheimer, Senior Vice President at Google, highlighted this issue last year in a tweet, alluding to the "green bubbles" problem, which refers to the visual distinction observed when a message is sent from an Android user to an iPhone and appears in a green bubble.

Even though Apple is set to embrace RCS, the company has confirmed that messages using this protocol will continue to be displayed in green bubbles.

“We’re not asking Apple to make iMessage available on Android. We’re asking Apple to support the industry standard for modern messaging (RCS) in iMessage, just as they support the older SMS / MMS standards. By not incorporating RCS, Apple is holding back the industry and holding back the user experience for not only Android users but also their own customers,” Hiroshi tweeted.

Apple hasn't been hesitant to express its stance on RCS. A year ago, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, dismissed the notion of integrating RCS into iMessage, suggesting to the questioner at a conference to buy their mom an iPhone instead.

Rich Communication Services represents a collaborative initiative among various industry players aiming to enhance the traditional SMS by incorporating modern features like richer texts and end-to-end encryption. Google, Samsung, and several other companies, along with telecom operators, have introduced support for RCS, reaching over 800 million users globally in recent years.

Critics argue that the intentional disruption in group chats and interactions between Android and iPhone users has historically discouraged many from switching to Android smartphones, suggesting that this is a deliberate strategy. This tactic became apparent during Apple's legal dispute with Epic Games, where internal discussions revealed a conscious decision to maintain iMessage exclusively within its ecosystem.

In the course of the legal dispute, a trove of internal Apple documents became public, revealing an extensive internal discussion about the prospect of bringing iMessage to Android devices. Craig Federighi, Apple's chief software executive, expressed concerns in a 2013 email, stating, "In the absence of a strategy to become the primary messaging service for the bulk of cell phone users, I am concerned the iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove the obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones."

The sentiment expressed by Craig Federighi in 2013 was echoed by Phil Schiller, then the marketing chief, in 2016. In an email to Tim Cook, Schiller advised against moving iMessage to Android, stating, "Moving iMessage to Android will hurt us more than help us." During the same year, another email from a former Apple executive warned that iMessage played a crucial role in user retention, describing it as a "serious lock-in."

Coincidentally, Apple's decision on Thursday comes after recent efforts by Google and various telecom operators, urging EU regulators to classify iMessage as a "core" service under the new Digital Markets Act. This push aims to compel Apple to ensure full compatibility of its chat app with competitors. As initially reported by TechCrunch earlier this month, Apple has revealed in a filing that it anticipates implementing several policy changes to align with the new guidelines set to take effect next year.