The debate on the green bubbles and blue bubbles is ending it seems. Rejoice for Apple has adopted the RCS!
iMessage though feature rich only works inside Apple’s walled garden. When messaging to non-iPhone users, the app relies on the older SMS protocol which has many limitations. So when chatting with Android users, you cannot react to their messages with emojis, send or receive high-quality images and videos, view read receipts, or enjoy features like link previews, location sharing, Apple Pay, and more.
However, with iOS 18, Apple finally got the message and addressed this issue by introducing support for the RCS protocol on iPhones. RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a new standard that resolves many frustrations associated with messaging Android users. Here’s how you can use RCS chats on your iPhone.
Table of Contents
What’s RCS Messaging
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is a new and advanced version of older SMS and MMS technologies. It adds features like:
- you can see live when someone is typing
- get read receipts
- sending high-quality pictures, videos, and other files
- invite to group chats (limited functionality)
For RCS to work, both the sender and receiver must use a carrier (not all do at the moment) that supports RCS. Most Android phones have supported RCS for years, and now Apple has implemented RCS support in the iPhone’s Messages app.
Samsung has already replaced its default messaging app with Google’s Messages app that supports RCS right out of the box. Google Messages app is free for all Android phones and available to download on the Play Store.
Does Your Carrier Have RCS Support
As mentioned earlier, your carrier must support the RCS protocol for it to work on your iPhone. For example, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T already support RCS, but not all carriers do. You can check if your carrier supports RCS directly from your iPhone settings in iOS 18.
- Go to Settings > General > About > Carrier.
- The Carrier option will change to P1.
- Tap on it again to check the IMS Status.
- If your carrier supports RCS, it will display “Voice, SMS & RCS.” If it doesn’t, it will only show “Voice & SMS.”
How to Enable/Disable RCS on iPhone
RCS is enabled by default on iOS 18, however, recheck if it is not working on your iPhone:
- Open Settings > Apps > Messages
- Enable toggle beside RCS messaging under the Text messaging section.
My iPhone is showing Primary and Secondary options. What does that mean?
In RCS messaging on the iPhone
- Primary refers to your main device actively using RCS
- Secondary is any other device linked to the same number that also receives RCS messages.
So ensure Secondary is also turned on if you want RCS to work even on connected devices like your Mac.
RCS vs iMessage Feature Comparison
Well, now that the gap between Android and iPhone messaging apps has blurred or even disappeared, we can do a proper comparison. RCS on iPhone introduces several features similar to iMessage, such as high-quality media sharing. However, it does not provide the same experience as iMessage-to-iMessage conversations. Here are all the features iMessage and RCS messaging apps support (or don’t):
| Feature | iMessage | RCS on iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-End Encryption | Yes | No (Apple uses RCS Universal Profile) |
| Read Receipts | Yes | Yes |
| Typing Indicators | Yes | Yes |
| Editing and Deleting Messages | Yes | No (Planned for future updates) |
| High-Quality Media Sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Attachments with larger file sizes | Yes | Yes |
| Location Sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Reactions (Emoji Tapbacks) | Yes | Yes |
| Sending Effects (like balloons) | Yes | No |
| Customizable Animoji and Memoji Stickers | Yes | No |
| Group Messaging Features | Yes | Limited (Basic functions like naming groups) |
| Wi-Fi Messaging | Yes | Yes |
| Full Message Synchronization Across Devices | Yes (via iCloud) | No |
| Direct Integration with Apple’s Apps | Yes (Apple Pay, Apple Music, Apple News, etc.) | No |
Additionally, RCS messaging on iPhone offers no extra features over what iMessage-to-iMessage conversations already offers.
Essentially, RCS brings Android messaging closer to the iMessage experience but does not surpass it in any way.
How to Check if RCS is Supported by Your Contacts
Even if you have enabled RCS, it doesn’t mean you can use RCS to chat with all non-iPhone users. Both parties need to have RCS enabled. If your Android friend isn’t using RCS or if they have a basic feature phone, you won’t be able to use RCS to send and receive messages (just like iMessage requires both users to have an iPhone). You will fall back on the SMS protocol for those contacts.
To check if a contact supports RCS, open the conversation in the Messages app. You will see Text message RCS in the text box if RCS is supported by that user and Text message SMS if they do not have RCS support.
RCS will still keep the messages in green bubbles but solves many issues, making those green bubbles look not so bad anymore. With the stable version of iOS 18 out now, more iPhone users can jump on the RCS bandwagon and help bridge the gap between iPhone and Android messaging.
