{"id":25794,"date":"2026-05-11T20:12:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T19:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/?p=25794"},"modified":"2026-05-11T20:14:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T19:14:25","slug":"ios-26-5-brings-e2ee-for-rcs-a-new-milestone-for-secure-cross%e2%80%91platform-messaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/press-release\/ios-26-5-brings-e2ee-for-rcs-a-new-milestone-for-secure-cross%e2%80%91platform-messaging\/","title":{"rendered":"iOS 26.5 brings\u00a0E2EE\u00a0 for\u00a0RCS:\u00a0A\u00a0new milestone for secure\u00a0cross\u2011platform\u00a0messaging\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today marks an important step forward for mobile users as the latest software update from Apple \u2013 iOS 26.5 \u2013 brings end\u2011to\u2011end encryption (E2EE) to Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging. This additional security is now beginning to roll out for conversations between\u202fiPhone\u202fusers\u202frunning iOS 26.5 and Android\u202fdevices running\u202fon the latest version of Google Messages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This welcome progress is the result of close, cross\u2011industry collaboration between the GSMA RCS Working Group including Apple, Google and the wider mobile ecosystem. Crucially, the new secure services are being delivered on an open, globally recognised foundation. RCS is built on an industry specification called the RCS Universal Profile<\/a>, published by the GSMA and developed with inputs from across the mobile industry, including significant contributions from Apple and Google. It is also a strong example of what can be achieved when the industry works together on open standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For users, the benefit is simple: E2EE RCS messages can\u2019t be read by anyone but the sender and receiver when they\u2019re being sent between Apple and Android devices, even by Apple or Google. This provides users with the highest\u202flevel of privacy and security while messaging. Once enabled by supporting mobile network operators, users will be able to recognise the newly encrypted conversations via a padlock icon.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We now encourage our members to leverage these new capabilities and enable more secure RCS messaging for personal and business users worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more on the Apple Newsroom<\/a> and in this Google blog<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA   Today marks an important step forward for mobile users as the latest software update from Apple \u2013 iOS 26.5 \u2013 brings end\u2011to\u2011end encryption (E2EE) to Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging. This additional security is now beginning to roll out for conversations between\u202fiPhone\u202fusers\u202frunning iOS 26.5 and Android\u202fdevices running\u202fon the latest version of Google Messages.  This welcome progress is the result of close, cross\u2011industry collaboration between the GSMA RCS Working Group including Apple, Google and the wider mobile ecosystem. Crucially, the new secure services are being […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":25797,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"algolia_discover_type":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\niOS 26.5 brings\u00a0E2EE\u00a0 for\u00a0RCS:\u00a0A\u00a0new milestone for secure\u00a0cross\u2011platform\u00a0messaging\u00a0\u00a0 - Newsroom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/newsroom\/press-release\/ios-26-5-brings-e2ee-for-rcs-a-new-milestone-for-secure-cross\u2011platform-messaging\/\" 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