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Apple's surprising announcement a few months back that iOS would support the Rich Communications Services (RCS) Universal Profile by 2024 has sparked speculation about the driving force behind this decision. According to John Gruber, who cited insider sources at Apple, the move to support RCS on iOS is primarily motivated by regulatory developments in China. The theory posits that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is pushing for enhanced collaboration among network operators to facilitate the widespread adoption of 5G messaging, including RCS.
In July 2023, the Chinese regulatory body issued a notice outlining plans to strengthen collaboration among network operators to support the large-scale development of 5G messaging. This notice prompted speculation that Apple might adopt RCS to comply with upcoming regulations in China. The notice called for mobile phone manufacturers to upgrade the system design and functionality of 5G mobile phones to support RCS within a specified transition period. After this period, newly certified 5G mobile phones would be required to support RCS, with network operators and testing organizations collaborating to ensure compliance.
RCS offers several advantages over traditional messaging services, including typing indicators, read receipts, high-resolution photos and videos, and better controls for group conversations. Google has expressed its willingness to collaborate with Apple to implement RCS, while Apple has emphasized the importance of incorporating strong encryption measures in line with industry standards.
Despite these developments, it remains unclear whether Apple will introduce RCS support in an upcoming iOS 17.x update or wait until iOS 18 in the fall. Nonetheless, the move to support RCS on iOS reflects a broader trend towards enhancing messaging capabilities and interoperability across different platforms.
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| move to support RCS on iOS is primarily motivated by regulatory developments in China |