End‑to‑End Encrypted RCS Messaging Arrives Across iPhone and Android

Apple and Google have begun a beta rollout of cross-platform end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (based on the GSMA Universal Profile 3.0 and the IETF's MLS protocol), available to iOS 26.5 and up and the latest Google Messages with carrier support. Encryption will be enabled by default, marked by a lock icon, and will make carrier-level content inspection harder, potentially affecting smishing detection even as impersonation and deepfake threats persist.