Apple is finally giving in to Google’s years-long pleas and will add RCS support to iMessage in 2024, making it easier to send messages between iPhones and Android devices.

The time has come: Apple will now support RCS via iMessage. This was reported by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman last night on X. “RCS offers better interoperability compared to SMS or MMS. This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best, most secure messaging experience for Apple users,” the iPhone maker told Gurman. Apple will introduce RCS to its messaging app next year.

RCS support makes it easier to send messages between iPhones and Android smartphones. Of course, this was already possible with external messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal, the difference is that iMessage can now send and receive messages to and from Google’s Messages app. RCS stands for Extensive communication services and is considered the successor to the SMS.

Apple is changing course

Apple’s decision to accept RCS is not entirely voluntary. Google has been asking Apple to support the protocol for years to ensure interoperability between the two mobile operating systems, but the iPhone maker wanted nothing to do with it. The European Digital Markets Act is now forcing Apple to do this. Apple itself believes that iMessage is “too small” to fall under these rules, but the company is now playing it safe.

The Digital Markets Act forces Apple to make even more changes. From 2024 it will also be possible to “sideload” applications in iOS 17. Again, this is an adjustment that Apple would have preferred to forego, but the new legislation is still bringing the tech giants to their knees.

WhatsApp is also forced to open its messaging app to external platforms. The aim of the European law is to make it easier for smartphone users to communicate with each other: from next year it will no longer matter which app you and your contacts have on your device.