Final yr’s rollout of iOS 26 was putting, with the translucent Liquid Glass aesthetic. Apple has since iterated on its smartphone’s software program, although some customers proceed to voice their displeasure. For those who’ve held out, this newest model—iOS 26.5—features a new characteristic that’s price updating your smartphone for proper now: end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging.
Apple rolled out the most recent model of its iPhone working system on Monday. Now, if an iPhone proprietor sends or receives inexperienced bubbles, aka RCS texts, in Apple’s Messages app with an Android proprietor, these chats could also be encrypted. “Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can’t be learn whereas they’re despatched between gadgets,” reads an early model of the settings web page. Apple is launching this characteristic as a beta, and its present availability is dependent upon your gadget and service.
Texts between Apple gadgets within the Messages app, aka iMessages, have been encrypted since launch, however chats with Android gadgets weren’t protected in the identical approach. Apple lately upgraded non-iMessages from SMS to RCS and modernized the backend—enabling richer options when texting anybody on Android, like higher-resolution pictures, learn receipts, and typing indicators—however these chats nonetheless lacked encryption choices. The iOS 26.5 improve fixes this with cross-platform encryption within the iPhone’s default texting app.
How Do I Know If It’s On?
After you replace your iPhone, the setting must be enabled by default if it is obtainable in your gadget and service. Examine by opening your Settings app, then going to the Apps and Messages tabs. Scroll down till you see RCS Messaging below the Textual content Messaging choices and click on on it. That is the web page the place you may see if the beta model of end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging is on—the toggle will present inexperienced if it is enabled.
Now, you may examine what kind of chat a dialog is by opening your Messages app and finding the grey textual content displayed in that textual content field on the backside of the display screen. It’ll both learn iMessage, Textual content Message – RCS, or Textual content Message – SMS. You might even see a small lock icon as a part of the message thread when beginning a brand new RCS dialog after this replace. Conversations labeled as “SMS” is not going to be modified.
RCS messaging just isn’t obtainable for each service, although the foremost US carriers—like Verizon, T-Cell, and AT&T—all assist the texting protocol. Unsure if yours is roofed? Take a look at Apple’s assist web page for a full record of feature availability by carrier.
What Else Is New Right here?
The opposite modifications in iOS 26.5 are pretty minor. Based mostly on particulars from the beta launch, adverts are prone to begin showing within the Maps app as search recommendations whenever you lookup a restaurant or someplace else. Adjustments to the Maps app additionally embrace the addition of “Instructed Locations,” which suggest spots to hit up primarily based in your searches and close by developments. The newest iOS additionally contains Pleasure-themed wallpapers, since June is true across the nook.
Whereas it is price updating your iPhone to iOS 26.5 for the safer messaging options, extra sweeping modifications to the smartphone software program will arrive within the fall. Apple, if it follows the sample of previous releases, is predicted to unveil the totally revamped model, iOS 27, in June at its WWDC developer conference, making the replace obtainable for everybody to obtain later this yr.
