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Encrypted Chats Now Bridge iPhone & Android
11 May
Summary
- End-to-end encryption now protects cross-platform chats between iMessage and Google Messages.
- Apple's iOS 18 added RCS support, enabling this new encryption for iPhone users.
- A lock icon will confirm encryption for RCS conversations on both platforms.
Messaging privacy has taken a significant leap forward as Apple and Google unite their platforms. End-to-end encryption, previously isolated within iMessage and Google Messages, now extends to conversations between the two. This feature will gradually roll out to users on both iPhone and Android devices over the next few months.
The "blue vs. green bubble" phenomenon, a long-standing social distinction between iPhone and Android users, is set to diminish. Apple's recent integration of RCS (Rich Communication Services) support in iOS 18 paved the way for greater parity, although encryption between the platforms was notably absent until now.
This collaboration brings end-to-end encryption to the GSMA's RCS Universal Profile. Cross-platform RCS chats will be encrypted for users with iOS 26.5 messaging on iPhones and the latest Google Messages on Android, provided their carriers support it. A lock icon will appear on these chats, mirroring existing encryption indicators in Google Messages and now also for iMessage-only threads, signaling enhanced security for all users.
