The arrival of iOS 18 in its final version may not be very interesting in Europe because of the absence of Apple Intelligence, but texting fans should know that communication between iPhone and Android is undergoing a revolution. Thanks to the integration of the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol, long awaited and requested by Google, exchanges between the two platforms are reaching a new level, providing a richer experience, almost at the level of iMessage between iPhones. Here’s how to enjoy it in France (but also in Belgium, Switzerland and elsewhere).
What is RCS?
As seen last year, the RCS allows users to send high-resolution photos and videos, receive delivery receipts, react to a message, create groups, and see real-time typing indicators, even when correspondents are using different devices. With this integration, the interest of WhatsApp Or Messenger is much less obvious.
Among the advantages mentioned, group conversations occupy a prominent place. Now, it is possible to name the groupsofadd or remove participantsand even of leave a discussion no problem, whether users have an iPhone or an Android.
The RCS also provides improvements in reactions. Emojis and reactions sent from Android now display correctly on iPhones, which was previously a source of confusion and frustration for users. This will make interactions between iOS and Android smoother.
Benefits for Apple customers
While Apple has had to bow to various regulators, including the European Union, it has still kept the blue bubbles for its customers. Even with RCS, Android owners will continue to appear in green. Better still, some features like scheduling a message remain exclusive to the iPhone.
The next developments
While the adoption of RCS is a major step forward, not everything is perfect yet. Apple still needs to integrate some features, such as the direct reply to messages in group discussions or the possibility of react to multimedia contentoptions already present in iMessage.
How to enable RCS on iPhone?
But then, how do you enable RCS? To take advantage of the improved protocol, iPhone users must first update their device to iOS 18 and ensure that their operator supports this technology. In France, to date, only SFR currently offers RCS compatibility, while Orange, Bouygues TelecomAnd Free are being deployed.
Once the device is updated and the operator is compatible, simply go to the settings of the application Messages under the “SMS Service” section and enable the “RCS Service” option. If you don’t see the box, restart the phone. If it still doesn’t, reset the network settings in Settings > General > Transfer or reset > Reset > Reset network settings.
Who has already activated RCS with an SFR / Red by SFR package?
