On March 14th, the GSM Association announced a new Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging standard, including E2EE based on the secure MLS protocol, which for the first time allows the exchange of encrypted messages between platforms of different service providers.

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GSMA announced that it will begin research on enabling E2EE between iPhones and Android devices starting in September 2024. E2EE is a security and privacy feature that prevents third parties – such as messaging service providers or carriers – from viewing message content. GSMA shared that the new RCS standard is being developed in collaboration with mobile carriers, device manufacturers, and technology providers, including Apple.

End-to-end encryption has been supported by iMessage from the start, according to an Apple spokesperson. The company will support end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.

Although Apple's proprietary iMessage service supports E2EE, it hasn't been applied to RCS messages because the previous RCS standard didn't support cross-platform communication. Google Messages also enables E2EE for RCS messages by default, but only for Android users messaging each other, not for iMessage users or users of other RCS apps on Android.

A Google spokesperson affirmed the company's commitment to providing a secure messaging experience. The tech giant will work as quickly as possible to implement the new RCS standard across its mobile ecosystem.

(According to The Verge)