Apple and Google have taken a long-awaited step: RCS chats between iPhones and Android devices are now end-to-end encrypted. The rollout is running as a beta in iOS 26.5 and the latest version of Google Messages. A new lock icon will appear in the chat to indicate that the conversation is protected.
With today's beta launch, Apple is fulfilling a promise that has been in place since the introduction of RCS support in iOS 26. RCS has replaced SMS and MMS as the standard for cross-platform messaging, but until now, it wasn't end-to-end encrypted – a significant difference from iMessage, which has always been end-to-end encrypted. The announcement directly follows the new features released today in iOS 26.5, which includes RCS encryption as one of its core features. This encryption is an industry initiative spearheaded by Apple and Google in conjunction with the GSMA.
What's changing from today
iPhone users who have installed iOS 26.5 and are using a supported mobile carrier will now see a new lock icon in their RCS chats. This indicates that the messages in this conversation are end-to-end encrypted – meaning neither Apple, Google, nor the respective mobile carrier can read them while they are being used between devices. The same applies to Android users of the latest version of Google Messages.
Important: Encryption is enabled by default and does not need to be manually turned on. Apple plans to gradually enable it automatically for new and existing RCS chats. No user intervention is required.
Lock symbol as visible confirmation
The new lock icon is the only visible change in the Messages app. It appears in the chat header and clearly indicates at a glance whether the conversation is protected. If you're chatting with someone whose device or mobile contract doesn't yet support encryption, you won't see the icon – the message will then be transmitted unencrypted as RCS, as before.
iPhone users are familiar with a similar principle from iMessage: Blue speech bubbles have represented fully encrypted Apple-to-Apple communication for years. In RCS, the lock symbol is the equivalent for cross-platform chats.
Carrier dependency as a brake
The feature only works with supported mobile carriers. Apple refers to a dedicated support page that lists the participating carriers. Which German providers are included at launch and which will join later can be found on the official list – it is continuously updated.
In practice, this means that not every iPhone user with iOS 26.5 will immediately see the lock icon. Availability depends on the individual contract and the provider's technical infrastructure. Users messaging someone whose carrier is not yet supported will not benefit from the additional security layer for the time being.
iMessage remains the Apple standard
Apple itself clarifies in the announcement that iMessage remains the preferred choice for communication between Apple devices. iMessage was designed with privacy in mind from the outset and has always been end-to-end encrypted. RCS encryption is therefore not a replacement for iMessage, but rather a bridge to Android users who were previously only reachable via unencrypted messages.
This distinction is strategically interesting. Apple continues to position iMessage as a premium communication service within its ecosystem and gives RCS the status of a secure standard interface to the outside world.
The larger development
This move closes a gap that remained even with the introduction of RCS in iOS 26. Apple integrated the standard at the time to bring SMS chats with Android users up to date technically – with read receipts, typing indicators, and improved media transfer. However, encryption was missing. Today's beta launch closes precisely this gap.
For users focused on security and privacy, this is a noticeable improvement. Cross-platform messaging has been a known vulnerability – those sending sensitive content to Android contacts had no protection against being intercepted while on the go. With the encryption now being rolled out, this gap will gradually disappear. However, issues like phishing detection and smishing remain important, as fraudulent activities have long since shifted to supposedly secure channels.
RCS encryption as an industry standard
What's remarkable about the announcement is its tone: Apple and Google explicitly refer to it as an industry-wide initiative implemented in partnership with the GSMA. The GSMA is the international mobile communications association that maintains the RCS standard. This means the encryption isn't being built as a proprietary solution for individual manufacturers, but rather as an extension of the open RCS standard. Other mobile network operators and messaging providers can then build upon the same technical foundation.
This is also important because RCS runs on carrier infrastructure. Vendor-specific encryption would have undermined the cross-platform concept. The standardized approach maintains interoperability – and makes the padlock icon the unified language for secure cross-platform chats.
RCS encryption as a step in the right direction
The beta launch significantly raises the security level for cross-platform messages without requiring any user action. Anyone using iOS 26.5 and a supported carrier will see the lock icon starting today. As the update is rolled out more widely, its distribution will accelerate further – a concise overview of all the new features in the iOS 26.5 release is available separately. (Image: Apple)
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