iPhones might also come to support end-to-end encryption (E2EE) of RCS messages sooner than expected, based on the findings of early iOS 26 beta builds. The code suggests that Apple has started to test the security protocols required to support encrypted messaging, which could turn out to be one of the biggest gaps between iOS and Android communication.
With this change, RCS chat on iPhones would finally receive the same protection that iMessage has offered for years. End-to-end encryption ensures that whatever text, pictures, or files are encrypted on the sender’s device can only be decrypted on the recipient’s side, keeping the conversation confidential and secure.
It is becoming a big move in the long-running rivalry between Apple and Google over messaging. After years of resistance, Apple finally agreed to support RCS through the GSM Association, offering its users features such as emoji reactions and improved media quality across platforms. However, iMessage has never stopped being encrypted, whereas RCS on iPhones has remained limited, unencrypted, and stuck with the green bubble identity.
Android Authority reports that iOS 26 has references to the same secure group messaging protocol and encryption layer that Google claims in its Messages app. It is not guaranteed that the draw will come in time with the official release of iOS 26 in September, but it may come later as an update like iOS 26.1. However, the report is optimistic that support will some sooner rather than later.
If launched, the move would bring iPhones closer than ever to messaging parity with Android. Green bubbles might exist, but at least they would be able to offer as much security as their blue counterparts in the future.
