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Advancements in RCS Messaging: End-to-End Encryption on the Horizon
Recent updates to the Rich Communication Services (RCS) specifications herald a new era for messaging on both iPhone and Android platforms, allowing users to send end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messages securely. This development was announced by the GSM Association, confirming the integration of E2EE based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, thereby facilitating interoperable encryption across different messaging platforms for the first time.
Initiating its efforts in September of last year, the GSM Association aimed to enable E2EE for messages exchanged between Android and iPhone users. This encryption technology is a critical feature that safeguards user privacy, ensuring that third parties, including messaging services and telecom providers, cannot access the content of private conversations. The updated RCS standard emerged through collaboration among mobile operators, device manufacturers, and technology firms, with notable contributions from Apple.
Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer stated, “End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning. We are pleased to have helped lead a cross-industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA. We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.”
As part of an iOS 18 update released in September, Apple introduced RCS support for its devices. While iMessage has long included E2EE, this capability was not extended to RCS messaging due to the limitations of the previous RCS standard, which lacked cross-platform interoperability. In contrast, Google Messages enabled E2EE by default for RCS texts, but this protection was restricted to conversations among Google Messages users, leaving those communicating with iMessage users or other RCS clients on Android without encryption.
This upcoming feature signals a significant step toward enhancing privacy and security in mobile communications, paving the way for more seamless interactions between users across different operating systems.
Source
www.theverge.com