Apple announces that RCS support is coming to iPhone next year

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s plan to add RCS (Rich Communication Services) to iPhones next year is seen as a long-overdue fix for low‑quality photos, videos and broken group chats between iOS and Android users, but not as Apple opening iMessage itself. Commenters link the move to regulatory pressure from the EU’s Digital Markets Act and note that Apple will likely keep iMessage (blue bubbles) distinct from RCS/SMS (green or another color), preserving both feature and status differences. There is broad agreement that cross‑platform messaging will improve, but ongoing concerns about encryption, spam, carrier control and Google’s de facto dominance of RCS infrastructure remain.

Scope of Apple’s RCS Move

  • RCS will be added “alongside” iMessage, not as a replacement or cross‑platform iMessage.
  • Many expect RCS chats to remain visually distinct from iMessage (likely still not blue), to signal fewer capabilities and weaker security.
  • Several commenters think this is primarily to satisfy regulators (EU DMA) and deflect “gatekeeper” pressure without opening iMessage.

iMessage vs SMS/RCS Capabilities

  • iMessage: group chats, high‑quality media, reactions, stickers, link previews, editing, threads, typing indicators, location sharing, works over data/Wi‑Fi, and E2E encryption (with caveats around iCloud backups).
  • SMS/MMS: tiny, low‑quality media, no rich features, may incur per‑message charges, still widely used as a universal fallback and for OTPs.
  • RCS Universal Profile: richer media, read receipts, typing indicators, better group messaging; spec includes TLS in transit but not mandatory E2E.

Encryption, Privacy, and Security

  • RCS E2E today is largely a Google extension in Messages, not part of the core standard; interoperates only when both sides use Google’s client.
  • Some worry Apple won’t adopt Google’s proprietary E2E, keeping cross‑platform chats unencrypted.
  • There are concerns about carriers and Google using RCS metadata (and sometimes content) for advertising or analytics; lawful‑intercept obligations are raised.
  • iMessage’s E2E is criticized because iCloud backups escrow keys unless users enable Apple’s advanced protection.

Bubble Colors and Social Dynamics

  • Green vs blue bubbles started as a transport/cost indicator (SMS vs iMessage), but in the US has become status signaling and a source of stigma, especially among teens.
  • Reports range from mild teasing to people being excluded from group chats or dates because of “green bubbles”; others say this is overhyped or mostly a youth phenomenon.
  • Some view Apple’s long refusal to adopt RCS as anticompetitive, intentionally worsening cross‑platform UX to drive iPhone lock‑in; others say Apple is just differentiating its own service.

RCS Implementation and Reliability

  • Carriers heavily botched early RCS (poor interop, no store‑and‑forward, billing focus); Google effectively took over via Jibe and its Messages app.
  • Critics argue this makes “real‑world” RCS essentially a proprietary Google service; others note the spec remains GSMA‑controlled and Apple can now influence it.
  • Users report RCS spam and confusing behavior when data is off or limited, and want the option to disable RCS per device.