iOS 18 Messages app: belated RCS support and practical, convenient SMS scheduling

Beyond AI Emojis and Satellite SMS: Messages app gets major updates

At WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled iOS 18, which saw two major updates to the Messages app: support for the RCS messaging standard and the ability to schedule text messages. While these two features don't look like much in the way of AI features and interface tweaks, they're going to have a big impact on the way users communicate with each other on a day-to-day basis.

Say goodbye to tedium: SMS scheduling is finally here!

For years, iPhone users have wanted to be able to schedule their text messages as easily as Android users, but Apple has never provided an official solution. In order to fulfill this need, developers have developed a variety of complex third-party apps or jailbreak solutions, but the experience has never been ideal.

iOS 18 finally offers SMS scheduling as a built-in feature. Users can freely set the date and time for SMS sending, such as sending messages across time zones without disturbing others, or setting up birthday wishes SMS to avoid missing important moments.

Green Bubble Terminator - RCS Support is Late to the Game

In addition to the SMS scheduling feature, another major update to the iOS 18 Messages app is support for the RCS messaging standard, which is considered the next generation of messaging standards and an alternative to traditional text messaging (SMS).

Apple's refusal to support RCS has long made it difficult for iPhone users to text each other with Android users, such as the inability to display input status and read receipts, limited group chat functionality, and degraded photo and video quality. This also means that text messages between iPhone and Android users lack end-to-end encryption.

Google has been calling on Apple to support RCS for years, and EU regulators have launched an investigation into Apple's closure strategy. Under pressure from many sides, Apple finally made a compromise.

The green bubble still exists: RCS support is still insufficient

However, from the screenshots released by Apple, even with RCS enabled, SMS sent from Android users to iPhone users will still be displayed in a green bubble box, with “SMS + RCS” in light gray font below the text box.

Additionally, Apple does not yet support end-to-end encryption for RCS. Apple is reportedly working with the GSMA to add support for end-to-end encryption in a future version of the RCS standard.

Good for Users, but Improvements Needed

While the introduction of RCS support has been long overdue and has left something to be desired, it's certainly good news for iPhone and Android users. As RCS becomes more common, the cross-platform messaging experience will improve dramatically, making it easier and more secure for users to communicate with each other.

We look forward to seeing Apple improve RCS support in future releases, bringing users a more seamless and secure communication experience.