iPhone's RCS support expands with iOS 18 developer beta 3
Starting last month, when iOS 18 developer beta 2 was released, some iPhone users in the U.S. were able to message Android users using RCS aka Rich Communication Services. With RCS support, iPhone and Android users can take advantage of features such as high-quality images and video, read receipts, and typing indicators. Even if you live in the U.S. and own an iPhone with iOS 18 beta 2 or later installed, you must be a Verizon, T-Mobile, or AT&T subscriber to take advantage of RCS support.
Just a couple of days ago, Apple released iOS 18 developer beta 3 which has extended the reach of the iPhone's RCS support. Now, iPhone users in Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.can message Android users through RCS instead of having to deal with SMS. Of course, the iPhone users in those countries must be customers of compatible carriers just as those in the U.S. must be. Some of those carriers include Videotron, Telus Mobility, Bell, Telefonica, SFR, and O2.
By the time the final "stable" version of iOS 18 is released in September, not all carriers will be ready to give their iPhone users RCS support. But those iPhone users able to use RCS will be able to send and receive high-quality images/videos to and from Android users instead of the low-resolution pictures/video that appeared over SMS and MMS. You'll know when RCS is enabled because in the text field on the Messages app, it will say RCS Message when you're chatting with an Android user.
Installing iOS 18 developer beta 3 adds RCS support to more countries. |Image credit-PhoneArena
The text bubbles will remain green unless you're messaging another iPhone user. In that case, the text field will say iMessage, and the text bubbles will be blue. Apple has long considered its iMessage platform to be a major selling point for the iPhone. However, we can't imagine that Apple will lose a large number of iPhone sales now that it adding RCS support.
There are some features coming in iOS 18 that have iPhone users so excited. At this stage, without Apple Intelligence included in the beta right now, the best reason to install the unstable iOS 18 beta 3 release on your iPhone is to customize the location of your home screen app icons and widgets. You can also change the color theme of these app icons to have them match the main color of your wallpaper.
Before you install the beta, make sure to back up your iPhone first. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. On the top of the screen, tap on Beta Updates, click on iOS 18 Developer Beta, tap on the Back arrow in the upper left corner of the screen, and follow the directions on the iOS 18 Beta 3 prompt to Install Now or Install Tonight.
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