iPhone and Android users will soon be able to send encrypted RCS messages to each other – TechCrunch
Latest
AI
Amazon
Apps
Biotech & Health
Climate
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
Fundraising
Gadgets
Gaming
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
Security
Social
Space
Startups
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Newsletters
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
Contact Us
Text messages sent between iPhones and Android devices will soon benefit from end-to-end encryption (E2EE), after the GSM Association (GSMA) yesterday published new specifications for the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol that include support for cross-platform E2EE.RCS is a long-standing effort to enable SMS-style cross-platform communications with richer features, such as group messaging, typing indicators, read receipts, and file-sharing — similar to what messaging apps such as WhatsApp provide.While many Android handset makers had adopted RCS through the years, Apple was the main outlier until it finally succumbed with the introduction of iOS 18 last year. Most of the core RCS features have been available for cross-platform messaging since then, but E2EE has hitherto been missing — until now.E2EE, for the uninitiated, is a data encryption method that ensures only the sender and the recipient of a message can read its content. For tech companies, this privacy-preserving promise is a major selling point, as it assures users that their messages are safe from snooping. Apple has offered E2EE since it launched iMessage back in 2011, though of course that only worked between iOS devices, while WhatsApp completed its E2EE rollout in 2016 (and, again, it only worked between WhatsApp users).Google, for its part, has previously added E2EE to its own Messages app, but this was its own proprietary undertaking separate to the RCS protocol itself.Encrypting messages across not only different clients but also entirely different platforms comes with its own unique challenges, which is where the GSMA’s universal profile enters the fray, providing a standardized specification for consistent, interoperable RCS messaging across devices, networks, and operators.Based on the cryptographic Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, the new E2EE mechanism in the RCS Universal Profile 3.0 is a vital piece of the interoperable jigsaw, one that will ultimately enable iPhone and Android users to communicate securely via their device’s native messaging app.“That means that RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers,” GSMA technical director Tom Van Pelt said in a statement. “Together with other unique security features such as SIM-based authentication, E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for stronger protection from scams, fraud and other security and privacy threats.”Topics
Senior Reporter
Skype is shutting down in May — these are the best alternatives
AI coding assistant Cursor reportedly tells a ‘vibe coder’ to write his own damn code
Profitable Klarna files for a potentially blockbuster IPO
Tern AI’s low-cost GPS alternative actually works
No one knows what the hell an AI agent is
Bluesky quickly sold out of the T-shirt its CEO wore to troll Mark Zuckerberg
FBI, EPA, and Treasury told Citibank to freeze funds as Trump administration tries to claw back climate money
Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech newsEvery weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.TechCrunch’s AI experts cover the latest news in the fast-moving field.Every Monday, gets you up to speed on the latest advances in aerospace.Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.© 2025 Yahoo.
