With iOS 26.3, new evidence has emerged suggesting that Apple is preparing support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages. This moves the company closer to a feature that has been announced for some time and is particularly important for communication between iPhones and Android devices. The current information comes from the latest beta version of iOS 26.3 and provides the first concrete technical indications.
RCS is considered the modern successor to SMS and MMS, but for a long time, it had a significant security gap. While many messaging services have relied on end-to-end encryption for years, this feature was missing in RCS, especially for cross-platform communication. The GSM Association has already announced plans to address this. Apple had also stated its intention to support RCS encryption, but then remained silent for a long time. iOS 26.3 has now brought this issue back to the forefront.
Notes in the iOS 26.3 beta
According to a post by Tiino-X83 on X, formerly Twitter, the latest iOS 26.3 beta contains references to a new setting within so-called carrier bundles. This setting is said to allow mobile network operators to enable or disable end-to-end encryption for RCS messages.
Carrier bundles are configuration packages that network operators use to control certain functions on the iPhone. The fact that Apple has already integrated E2EE options for RCS is considered a clear indication that the technical foundation for encrypted RCS messages is being prepared.
Importance of the Carrier Bundle setting
The setting found could relate not only to activating encryption itself, but also to displaying the encryption status. This is precisely what the GSM Association standard stipulates. Users must be able to see whether a message is end-to-end encrypted or not.
This point is particularly important because there are regions where local regulations prohibit or restrict end-to-end encryption for all users. In such cases, it is mandatory to transparently indicate whether a message is being transmitted securely. The warnings in iOS 26.3 thus comply with the formal requirements of the GSMA standard.
RCS end-to-end encryption officially in place since March 2025
End-to-end encryption for RCS was officially announced in March 2025 as part of RCS Universal Profile 3.0. Apple stated at the time that it planned to support this feature in the Messages app for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.
Since that announcement, however, there have been no further public statements from Apple. Neither a timeline nor specific versions have been mentioned. The new clues in the iOS 26.3 beta are therefore the first indication in months that work on the implementation is continuing internally.
No guarantee of immediate implementation
Despite the discovered code hints, it's clear that iOS 26.3 doesn't guarantee the immediate introduction of end-to-end encrypted RCS messages. Apple often integrates such preparations long before actually releasing a feature.
The current references primarily show that Apple is laying the groundwork. Whether encryption will be activated with the final version of iOS 26.3 or only in a later update remains unclear.
Flashback: RCS on the iPhone
Basic RCS support was introduced with iOS 18 on the iPhone. At that time, Apple used the RCS Universal Profile 2.4. RCS is a modernized version of the classic SMS standard and offers features such as read receipts, typing indicators, and improved media sending.
SMS will remain available as a fallback solution if RCS cannot be used or is not supported by the network operator.
iOS 26.3 Beta shows concrete preparations for encrypted RCS messages
While iOS 26.3 doesn't yet provide a finished solution for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages, it does offer clear technical indications of Apple's preparations. The discovered carrier bundle settings show that the topic is being actively pursued. Even though it remains unclear when the feature will actually be activated, it's evident that Apple is laying the groundwork for secure, cross-platform RCS communication. (Image: Primakov / DepositPhotos.com)
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