Google and Apple have just released matching announcements. iPhone’s new iOS 26.5 is now live, unleashing a long-awaited change to text messaging. But while Apple’s update drives headlines worldwide, Google’s change is more critical.
“End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging begins rolling out today for Android and iPhone users,” Google confirmed on May 11. “Google and Apple have led a cross-industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to RCS, making the cross-platform messaging format that replaces traditional SMS more secure and private.”
This is the most significant change to Google Messages since its launch in 2014. Some ten billion installs later and having secured the default slot even on Samsung, the platform finally has a chance to go head-to-head with WhatsApp as a secure cross-platform option for its billions of users worldwide.
But Apple’s own announcement includes a very telling caveat: “iMessage was built with privacy in mind and has always been end-to-end encrypted. It remains the best way to communicate between Apple devices.”
And this is the crux. The RCS encryption upgrade matters more to Google, because iPhone users are more likely to use iMessage as a default than Android users will use Google Messages as theirs. WhatsApp is essentially the Android default.
That’s why Android boss Sameer Samat was so bullish on X, describing the change to texting as an “amazing milestone” with a rocket ship emoji to boot. “Big news: Today, we’re starting to roll out end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between Android and iPhone users! This cross-industry effort replaces outdated SMS with a more secure & private way to chat, no matter what phone you have.”
It’s also why Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai shared the post.
This RCS change has always felt critical for Google and a reluctant concession for Apple. iMessage has always been one of the key pillars supporting its multi-trillion-dollar walled garden, especially in the U.S. There was even speculation that its agreement to encrypt RCS was more about China than the U.S.
After 12 years, will this be enough to pull Android users away from WhatsApp? While RCS powers Google Messages, it’s just an add-on for iMessage. Apple users will continue to see blue bubbles only when they’re safely inside its walled garden. RCS messages may now be encrypted, but the bubbles remain green.
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