RCS support rollout has ramped up thanks to iOS 18.4, as it is making it easier for more carriers to adopt the standard. Before the update, only major US carriers featured RCS on iPhone devices, restricting coverage. With this latest update, multiple T-Mobile MVNOs, including Boost Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile, have been able to enable RCS support. Mint Mobile is joining, with RCS now live on its network. Mint is sending emails to users encouraging them to update to iOS 18.4 and double-check that RCS is enabled.
RCS is a significant win for consumers, enabling them to send higher-resolution images between iPhone and Android phones, as well as offering more group messaging options. You’ll be able to see when iPhone users are typing on your Android device, as well as get read receipts.
RCS still has a ways to go
Gaining RCS on Mint Mobile is a step in the right direction, and consumers can look forward to more benefits. RCS will one day be capable of end-to-end encryption between iPhone and Android devices, a feature that Android-to-Android communications via Google Messages already enjoy. In the future, iPhone users will also benefit from end-to-end encryption with other iMessage users, enabling secure communication.
It’s essential to remember that Apple isn’t implementing RCS for the sake of its users. It’s an effort to stave off action by the EU, as Apple can be seen as a gatekeeper. By opening up iMessage and enabling RCS cross-platform, the company hopes to avoid formal decrees to open up its systems. It’s not the first time the company has had to adapt to the EU’s wishes, as Apple transitioned to USB-C in 2023 after the EU mandated all smartphones sold in Europe use USB-C by the end of 2024.
Apple’s notorious for holding off on integrating features that would reduce its exclusivity. The company often claims that it enjoys tight control over its ecosystem, as this provides a better user experience. The results are more of a mixed bag. In the case of RCS, there’s little argument that iPhone users don’t benefit from better messaging back and forth with their Android friends and family. And once end-to-end encryption is implemented, everyone’s messages become more secure, and that’s hard to argue with.
