Google hints that Apple is set to support RCS by this fall

Google briefly showed a section on the new Google Messages page claiming that Apple is set to roll out Rich Communication Services (RCS) support for iPhones this fall. This indicates that the iPhone maker is likely to extend RCS support in with the upcoming iOS 18 update.

The page, spotted first by 9to5Google, had details about the benefits of RCS. One of the sections within that had a label “coming soon on iOS” with a title called “Better messaging for all.”

The card is not visible on the page now, but the text indicates that is still in the source code of the page.

“Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone,” the description read.

Image Credits: Google

Last November, Apple confirmed that it was working on adding support for RCS. At that time, the company didn’t specify a timeline, but said that the compatibility is coming “next year.”

For the longest time, Google has urged, nudged, and nagged Apple about adding RCS to reduce the “Green bubble-blue bubble” differentiation. While RCS will not solve that, but it will mean that Android users will be able to send hi-res media to iPhone users.

Last year, Google announced new features for RCS such as a profile, Photomoji, and improved audio quality for voice notes as the company said 1 billion people were using RCS monthly.

Google’s partial reveal about the RCS compatibility timeline for iPhones comes as the U.S. Department of Justice is starting a legal battle against Apple over the Cupertino-based company’s monopolistic practices. Notably, the lawsuit counts “green bubbles” as an issue affecting user security.