Samsung warns all Android users that texts to friends using iPhone are at risk after major Apple change
SAMSUNG has cautioned Android owners with iPhone-owning friends that their text messages might not be as secure as they think.
Earlier this year, Apple rolled out the long-awaited RCS, or Rich Communication Services, as part of iOS 18.
RCS is the successor to SMS and MMS, and has been available on Android devices from both Samsung and Google for over a decade.
Samsung’s first RCS capable devices were launched in Europe in 2012, and have been in the US since 2015.
It essentially makes iPhone-to-Android texting much more like iPhone-to-iPhone texting via iMessage.
However, Apple has not yet included end-to-end encryption with its RCS messaging – meaning conversations had with this new feature could be intercepted.
End-to-end encryption scrambles messages into a code that cannot be read by hackers, or even the host messenger.
It’s what Google Messages, iMessage and WhatsApp use to make sure messages are read by the sender and recipient alone.
“Samsung and Google welcome a new era of more seamless, cross-platform messaging,” the company said in a statement.
“With the latest version of iOS supporting RCS, the benefits are available beyond the Android ecosystem,” Samsung added, before warning that “encryption is only available for Android to Android communication.”
Although the warning is not only directed at Android owners.
iPhone owners too may want to heed the advice by using an end-to-end encrypted app like WhatsApp to communicate with Android-owning pals.
In iOS 18.2, which reportedly rolls out in just two weeks, will let users set a new default messaging app on their iPhone.
The GSMA, the US-based mobile standards setter, and Google have promised that end-to-end encryption is coming to RCS.
Though neither has given a timeline.
Apple has made no comment on the security adjustment.
Instead, the company has surprised users iOS 18.2’s default app option.
More RCS features:
RCS support brings eight iMessage-style features to texts between iPhone and Android users, including:
- Higher-resolution photos and videos
- Audio messages
- Typing indicators
- Read receipts
- Wi-Fi messaging between iPhones and Android devices
- Improved group chats, including the ability for iPhone users to leave a conversation that includes Android users
- Improved encryption compared to SMS
- Share location with people inside text threads