Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- iOS 18 beta 3 enables RCS support in more countries, including Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.
- iPhone users must be subscribed to an eligible carrier to activate and try the feature.
- Prior to this beta, RCS on iPhone was limited to T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T customers in the US.
One of the most significant (and long overdue) features included with iOS 18 is RCS support. When the software update rolls out to the public in two months, eligible iPhone users will finally be able to rely on a superior messaging experience when communicating with Android users. With iOS 18 beta 2, RCS was enabled for T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T customers in the US. Beta 3 now expands RCS’ availability to even more countries and carriers.
According to 9to5Mac, iOS 18 beta 3 brings RCS to iPhone users in Canada, France, Germany, and Spain. Some of the supported carriers include Videotron, Telus Mobility, Bell, Telefonica, SFR, and O2. After updating to the latest beta, eligible users can find the new RCS toggle in the Messages section of the Settings app. The feature is on by default, sparing users the need to opt into it manually.
For those unfamiliar, the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol enables some handy texting perks. These include high-resolution media sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, emoji reactions, and more. Notably, carriers must individually implement RCS support for the feature to work on their customers’ iPhones.
As a result, not all iPhone users will be able to rely on RCS when iOS 18 launches this fall. That’s because certain carriers naturally won’t support the feature on day one. Until then, iPhone users will have to tolerate the SMS restrictions or use a third-party messaging app.
Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at [email protected]. You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
English (US) ·