Some iPhone users can now send RCS messages after iOS 18 update

RCS Messaging will be enabled for some iPhone users in the US following the iOS 18 Developer Beta 2 update, according to claims on social media. The feature was previewed at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 on June 10, and was said to arrive with iOS 18. A few days ago, it was reported that certain US carriers had rolled out support for RCS Messaging on iPhone, and some users on social media have now claimed to have access to the feature.

RCS Messages on iPhone

In a after On X (formerly Twitter), user @BrandonButch shared a screenshot that reportedly shows RCS Messaging enabled. While the text message still appears to have a green bubble, a new RCS banner can be seen in the chat window.

The development comes after Apple on Monday released the iOS Developer Beta 2, which added a new toggle for RCS Messaging in the iPhone’s settings. While the feature is said to be dormant, it was reported that it may be visible to users in the US whose carriers support the messaging standard, such as AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) provides better interoperability for cross-platform messaging. It is said to improve the features of standard SMS by enabling high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and providing a better group chat experience.

Although it’s been available in the Android ecosystem for years, Apple hasn’t included it in its suite of services, choosing to focus on its own iMessage instead. That changed last year, however, when the iPhone maker announced that it would roll out support for RCS Messages with the next iOS update.

Notably, the lack of support for RCS was one of the main points of the lawsuit filed against Apple by the US Department of Justice in March. It was also alleged that the iPhone’s “green bubble” issue makes rival Android users feel inferior. While RCS Messaging came to the iPhone with iOS 18, Apple has already confirmed that even with RCS enabled, text messages would still be the same color, unlike the blue bubble that appears when sending and receiving messages between Apple devices.