Overview
- The new developer build enables end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in early tests between iPhones and Android devices.
- Participation requires the latest Google Messages on Android, and availability varies because some carriers have not enabled the service.
- Apple states the encrypted RCS capability will not ship in the final iOS 26.4 and is slated for a later iOS 26.x update.
- The implementation aligns with the GSMA Universal Profile approach, whereas Google’s Android-to-Android E2EE relies on its own servers.
- Apple is planning support across iPadOS, macOS and watchOS, and Beta 2 also brings UI tweaks plus an auto-pause of beta updates after four months of inactivity.