Apple has finally decided to give “green bubbles” some of the love they deserve, but this time from a security perspective. In a move long-awaited by privacy enthusiasts, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS has officially begun reaching iPhone users within the iOS 26.5 beta, bridging the significant security gap that once separated the worlds of Apple and Android.
Finally… Encryption arrives for Android conversations
Apple has started rolling out end-to-end encryption for RCS messages to users of the iOS 26.5 beta, in collaboration with supported carriers and in conjunction with the latest version of the Google Messages app on Android. This simply means that your conversations with friends who do not own an iPhone will no longer be mere fleeting texts that can be intercepted; instead, they will be fully encrypted, just like in the famous iMessage app.
When encryption is enabled, messages become unreadable while in transit between devices, putting an end to concerns about spying or data tampering. The feature will be enabled by default and will begin to appear gradually in both new and existing conversations, provided that the service provider (carrier) supports this technology on both ends.
How do you know your conversation is secure?
With Apple’s signature design intelligence, you won’t have to dig through settings to ensure your conversation is secure; a new “lock” icon will appear within RCS conversations to indicate that end-to-end encryption is active. This step comes more than a year after Apple announced its intention to add this feature, and after rounds of testing to ensure a smooth experience.
Although iMessage has always been the safe haven for Apple users, reality forces us to communicate with users of other platforms. Therefore, bringing encryption to the RCS standard is an acknowledgment that user security should not stop at the color of a chat bubble. Today, encryption is no longer an optional feature, but a fundamental right for everyone holding a smartphone.
Mac and ecosystem integration
The good news doesn’t stop at the iPhone; this feature will automatically reflect on the Messages app on Mac devices. Since the Mac facilitates sending and receiving RCS messages via the iPhone linked to the account, once you update your phone to iOS 26.5 and it is supported by your carrier, your conversations on the computer will also be fully encrypted.
We at Phonegram believe that this step, while a bit overdue, places Apple in a leading position in pushing global communication standards toward greater privacy, even outside the borders of its closed ecosystem. It seems that green bubbles will no longer be just a source of annoyance, but will become secure and reliable communication channels.
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