Apple is set to revolutionize SMS messaging from iPhone to Android, making it significantly easier to send photos and videos. This change is due to the adoption of RCS (Rich Communication Services) in 2024, a new standard for messaging across different operating systems.
This update will bring capabilities to SMS that are currently available in iMessage and WhatsApp, such as sending high-quality photos and videos, without needing an external app.
According to Eightify, the shift to RCS by Apple is driven by new European legislation. Previously, Apple had focused on enhancing iMessage to boost iPhone sales, resisting the integration of RCS, which has been around since 2007. With RCS, iMessage will gain many more features, altering how SMS is sent from iPhone to Android.
RCS allows the sharing of high-quality photos and videos, sending audio messages, and creating group chats via SMS, potentially making apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger redundant. You would only need iMessage on your iPhone.
Apple plans to expand iMessage with RCS in 2024. Messages sent using this new technology will appear in green text boxes, as is currently the case with SMS. This will enable easy messaging from iPads or Macs to Android devices, a significant improvement considering there is still no dedicated WhatsApp app for iPad.
The exact timeline for iMessage's expansion with RCS is not yet known. Apple typically releases major iOS updates in September, coinciding with new iPhone announcements. This suggests that RCS might come with iOS 18, although it could also arrive earlier in a mid-cycle update, but likely not in iOS 17.2.
This development raises questions about the future relevance of apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, as the new iMessage capabilities could render them unnecessary for many users.
Do you think the new update will make apps like WhatsApp redundant, or will it not have any significance? Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section.
