Texting between iPhones and Androids was a slog. That is as a result of Apple restricted its customers to SMS when messaging Androids, which stripped away most of the fashionable chat options we have gotten used to—like, say, functioning group chats.
That radically modified as soon as Apple rolled out help for RCS: This messaging protocol had been normal on Android for years, however by permitting iPhones to make use of it moderately than SMS, all of the sudden “inexperienced bubbles” conversations weren’t so crummy. Quite the opposite, RCS provides many of the key iMessage perks you would possibly count on, like typing indicators, high-quality picture and video sharing, and, after all, functioning group chats.
However the transition is not full but. RCS really helps extra options than these, although simply not on iOS. That features end-to-end encryption (although some Android-to-Android chats are additionally not encrypted), and message enhancing, or the power to regulate a message after you despatched it. Fortunately, that is now altering.
As reported by Android Authority, cross-platform message enhancing is now rolling out to Google Messages customers. Which means in case you textual content an iPhone consumer by way of RCS in Google Messages, you will have the choice to edit that textual content for as much as quarter-hour after it was despatched. Android Authority confirms the function works when texting iPhone customers working each iOS 18.5 and the iOS 26 beta. That goes for group chats in addition to one-on-one messaging.
What do you assume thus far?
That is after all an incredible replace, nevertheless it comes with some massive caveats. First, it seems to be rolling out in restricted testing. Whereas Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman has entry to the function, it does appear to be Google is making this a sluggish launch, so that you would possibly want to attend earlier than seeing it in your finish. To that time, you probably have an iPhone, you will not see it in your finish—no less than, not but. Right now, that is solely a Google Messages function, and never one thing that Apple presently helps. In actual fact, edited messages seem as a model new message to iPhone customers, with an asterisk on the prime to indicate that one thing was modified.
iMessage itself helps message enhancing (and end-to-end encryption, for that matter), however since iMessage solely works between iPhones, it is one more function that will not seem once you’re texting your Android mates. I am hopeful that as RCS advances and Apple adopts extra of its options, we’ll see extra cross-platform help for these options. Possibly quickly, you’ll textual content Android customers by way of RCS realizing your messages are protected by end-to-end encryption, or have the ability to edit a message you despatched out of your iPhone to any contact, not simply your different iPhone mates. Proper now, nonetheless, it appears like Google Messages consumer have the benefit right here, whereas us iPhone customers might want to learn their edits as one other whole message completely.
