As the new iOS 18 operating system rolls out this fall, iPhone users can expect not just significant improvements in artificial intelligence and customization tools, among other many new features, but also a major advancement in how we communicate with Android users. One that could even mean goodbye to WhatsApp.
RCS arrives in Messages
In a world where instant communication is more vital than ever, messaging platforms have become essential tools in our daily lives. WhatsApp, with its wide acceptance, has dominated this space for years. However, with the new iOS 18 operating system, Apple is introducing a change in Messages that could shift this landscape: support for RCS (Rich Communication Services).
This protocol not only enhances communication across different operating systems but also integrates features that might make many reconsider their reliance on apps like WhatsApp and their limited privacy reliability.
How will RCS improve communication between iPhones and Androids?
Until now, conversations between iPhones and Android devices have been hampered by the deficiencies of the SMS/MMS system, which is the default messaging method in such cases. These systems use the well-known green bubbles and, although widely used, do not offer the same quality and functionalities as iMessage, characteristic of conversations between Apple devices (blue bubbles).
Now, with the implementation of RCS in Messages on iOS 18, Apple aims to make conversations between iPhone and Android users as smooth and robust as those within the iMessage ecosystem. Although these conversations will continue to be distinguished by green bubbles, they will be much richer, more expressive, and without the common pitfalls associated with SMS/MMS, such as lost messages or the low quality of multimedia files sent.
To clarify, RCS is an improved version of traditional SMS and MMS. Unlike SMS, which depends on the traditional cellular network, RCS uses mobile data to offer a more complete and efficient interaction. Among the advantages of this protocol are the ability to send high-quality images and videos, voice messages, receive read confirmations, see typing indicators, and react to messages with different gestures, like hearts or thumbs up.
SMS and MMS will still be available, mainly for situations where mobile data is not available. However, RCS will be the preferred option. This represents a significant advancement in terms of connectivity and functionality, putting conversations between different operating systems almost on the same level as those within the Apple ecosystem.
RCS arrives: is it the end of WhatsApp?
The support of RCS on iOS could pose a significant challenge for apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Facebook Messenger, which have traditionally served as bridges for multimedia communication between different platforms. The integration of RCS might make us reconsider the need for additional apps, now that iPhones can offer basic and satisfactory communications natively and with greater integration.
Now the fact that these other platforms offer a massive user base may lose significance, as it will be just as comfortable to communicate with anyone in the world, whether they have an iPhone or not. Moreover, their privacy incidents could become a thing of the past. All this could tempt many an Apple user to switch gears and depend less on third-party apps for their daily communications.
Support for RCS is already available in the beta version of iOS 18, specifically for certain carriers in the United States. As we await the arrival of its official version in the fall (let’s see how to install the beta for developers), it is likely that users from other regions of the world will also have the opportunity to explore this new functionality with which Apple seeks to facilitate a more integrated and effective communication across any device.
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