Apple’s latest iOS 26.3 Beta 2 update hints at the potential rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for Rich Communication Services (RCS) messages on iPhone. The beta, now available to developers and testers, introduces updated carrier bundle settings that could allow mobile networks to enable E2EE for RCS chats. So far, the settings have been spotted on four major French carriers including Bouygues Orange SFR and Free, suggesting Apple is preparing for a wider global rollout in a future iOS release.
End-to-end encryption ensures that messages and shared content like photos videos and documents remain private and cannot be accessed by messaging providers. With E2EE for RCS, Apple aims to provide privacy levels similar to iMessage for communication between iPhone users and Android users using RCS. The GSMA requires all carriers to support E2EE unless restricted by local laws and mandates that users can view their encryption status.
RCS messaging also supports features such as typing indicators read receipts emoji reactions and high-resolution media sharing bridging the gap between traditional SMS and iMessage. Apple announced its intention to support E2EE for RCS messages in March 2025 following GSMA Universal Profile 3.0 standards. The company is expected to release iOS 26.3 publicly by the end of January 2026 alongside iPadOS 26.3, following the public launch of iOS 26.2 in December 2025.
