iPhone messages that alternate between green and blue are about to become a thing of the past.

With the late 2024 update, the issue of iPhone messages alternating between green and blue is expected to end. Currently, messages between Apple users are displayed in blue, while those with users of other operating systems are green.

Messages between iPhone and Android users have a green background, while messages between iPhones use a blue background. (Image: 9to5mac)

In a statement sent to the 9to5mac blog, an Apple spokesperson said the company believes RCS will provide better interoperability for cross-platform messaging.

“Later next year, we will add support for RCS Universal Profile, the current standard of the GSM Association. We believe that RCS Universal Profile will provide a better seamless experience compared to SMS or MMS. It will work in parallel with iMessage. This continues to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users,” the statement said.

RCS offers features similar to iMessage when messaging across iPhones and Android devices. These include read receipts, typing indicators, and high-quality images and videos .

Apple's implementation of RCS also allows users to share their location with others in text messages. Unlike traditional SMS, RCS works over cellular data or Wi-Fi.

iMessage hasn't disappeared; it continues to be the foundation for communication between all iPhone users. RCS is simply a supplementary method to SMS and MMS and exists independently of iMessage. The same applies to SMS and MMS.

Apple's move doesn't mean the company will open iMessage to other platforms. Instead, the company will only accept RCS.

Apple also emphasized that iMessage is more secure and privacy-friendly than RCS. iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, while RCS does not implement encryption as strong as iMessage.

For years, Apple has been under pressure from several rivals, including Samsung and Google, to accept RCS. Until today, the iPhone maker has resisted and focused even more heavily on iMessage.

Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook even said , "Buy an iPhone for your mother," when asked about the flawed SMS experience. However, the company has since implemented several improvements to messaging between iPhones and Android devices.

Apple says it will work with members of the GSM Association to further improve the RCS protocol. This includes enhancing security and encryption for RCS messages.

According to The Verge, the change appears to be a response to pressure from the European Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires large companies like Apple to make their services compatible with other platforms.

In September, the European Commission launched an investigation into iMessage to determine whether it should be designated as a “core platform service.” However, Apple argued that iMessage wasn't popular enough here to warrant regulation.

Google's Senior Vice President Hiroshi Lockheimer wrote on X after the news of Apple's adoption of RCS was announced: "People should be able to text securely and modernly without worrying about what kind of phone they're texting to. It's great to see Apple join our ongoing effort with the GSMA on RCS to make messaging better for everyone."

(According to 9to5mac and The Verge)

Huawei surges while iPhone 15 surprisingly quiet in China. Huawei and Xiaomi are leading the recovery of the Chinese phone market, while Apple's iPhone 15 unexpectedly had a disappointing launch.

Source