RCS Messaging Gets End-to-End Encryption Boost: Apple and Google on Board

The GSMA has announced that RCS Universal Profile 3.0 will support end-to-end encryption (E2EE) via the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, ensuring messages and files remain confidential and secure as they travel between clients from different providers. This makes RCS the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE. Apple has stated it is pleased to have helped lead this effort and will add support for E2EE in RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates. Google also supports this updated standard and will work quickly with the mobile ecosystem to implement it, extending important user protections to cross-platform RCS messaging.