When Apple delivers iOS 18 in September or October this year, it'll finally add support for the RCS messaging standard to improve the way iPhones communicate with Android phones. And if you're brave you can try it today, because it's in the latest beta of iOS 18.
Before you download it, however, there are a few important caveats. The first is that this is a developer beta, not a public one, so you shouldn't install it on any device you depend on. The second is that it's currently US-only.
And lastly, RSC support is currently only working with specific carriers. According to 9to5Mac, those carriers are AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Still, the first early RCS pioneers are reporting on X (Twitter) that the new protocol is working on their iPhones, and that's a significant moment.
