With the second beta of iOS 18 that came out yesterday, Apple added an RCS toggle, but RCS messaging was not working at that time. RCS support appears to now be rolling out, based on reports from iOS 18 users.
Some testers who have iOS 18 installed have confirmed that they are able to send RCS messages to Android users, with RCS features available. Texts that are RCS-based instead of SMS/MMS-based are denoted with an RCS label.
RCS, or Rich Communication Services, allows iPhone and Android users to exchange higher quality photos and videos, audio messages, and larger file sizes. Features like read receipts and real-time typing indicators are supported too, with a full list of what’s new available below.
- Support for higher resolution photos and videos.
- Support for larger file sizes and file sharing.
- Audio messages.
- Cross-platform emoji reactions.
- Real-time typing indicators.
- Read receipts.
- Ability to send messages over cellular or Wi-Fi (SMS is cellular only). There is no cost to send an RCS message over Wi-Fi.
- Improved group chats.
RCS messages can be enabled in the Messages section of the Settings app, and are toggled on by default. At the current time, RCS messaging is only available to those in the United States who have a carrier that supports RCS. T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon users running iOS 18 should have the RCS toggle available, but those with MVNOs and smaller carriers will not be able to use the feature yet.
Not all iOS 18 users with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon are seeing RCS enabled, so it appears that support is still rolling out.
iOS 18 is available in a beta capacity right now, and it is limited to developers. RCS will be available to all iOS 18 users when the software launches to the public this fall.
Popular Stories
Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 2
Apple today released the second betas of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 to developers, and the software adds support for new features that Apple is working on, plus it tweaks some of the interface changes that have been made in the updates. Apple will refine iOS 18 over the course of the next few months, with multiple changes and refinements expected from now until September. We’ve highlighted…
Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and More
Apple today released new firmware update for several products, including the Lightning and USB-C versions of the AirPods Pro 2, the first-generation AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max, the second and third-generation AirPods, the Beats Fit Pro, and the PowerBeats Pro. The second-generation AirPods Pro models, the PowerBeats Pro, and the Beats Fit Pro now have firmware version 6F8, up from 6F7,…
Apple Explains iPhone 15 Pro Requirement for Apple Intelligence
With iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple is introducing a new personalized AI experience called Apple Intelligence that uses on-device, generative large-language models to enhance the user experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. These new AI features require Apple’s latest iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models to work, while only Macs and iPads with M1 or later chips will…
Top Stories: Apple Watch X Rumors, New Final Cut App for iPhone, and More
The avalanche of news coming out of WWDC earlier this month is finally starting to slow, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t still lots to talk about in Apple news and rumors this week. This week saw some additional rumors about the upcoming Apple Watch models, the release of major Final Cut Pro updates, the launch of Apple’s annual Back to School promo in the U.S. and Canada, new…
