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Apple and Google commit to secure cross-platform messaging

Published

Mar 17, 2025

TopicApps
Source: Outlever

TL;DR

  • Apple and Google plan to adopt enhanced cross-platform encryption standards for messaging between iPhone and Android devices.
  • End-to-end encryption between devices running on different mobile OSs is possible after the GSM Association updated its Rich Communication Services (RCS) specifications.

Author

Paddle News Desk

End users are in line to enjoy the benefits of enhanced privacy and security when texting between iPhone and Android devices with Apple and Google set to adopt newly updated cross-platform encryption standards.

New specs mean better security: The GSM Association, representing mobile operators globally, recently updated the Rich Communication Services (RCS) specifications to incorporate end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. The enhanced specifications are designed to ensure messages remain confidential and secure across different platforms.

Crossing the Apple-Android divide: RCS supersedes traditional SMS and MMS protocols and includes features like high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and read receipts. However, the absence of standardized E2EE has been a longstanding security concern. Historically, while Google's Messages app provided E2EE for RCS chats between its users, messages exchanged between Android and iPhone devices lacked this level of protection.

Platform owners supportive: Apple, having collaborated on the GSM’s upgrade initiative, says it is committed to integrating E2EE RCS messaging in future updates across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. Google has also affirmed its commitment to implementing the new specification.

Apple: “End-to-end encryption is a powerful privacy and security technology that iMessage has supported since the beginning, and now 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,” Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer said in a statement to media. “We will add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS in future software updates.

Google: “We’ve always been committed to providing a secure messaging experience, and Google Messages users have had end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) RCS messaging for years,” Google spokesperson Ed Fernandez told media. “We’re excited to have this updated specification from GSMA and work as quickly as possible with the mobile ecosystem to implement and extend this important user protection to cross-platform RCS messaging.”