RCS messaging has become a familiar feature on Android phones and iPhones, offering a much more modern alternative to traditional SMS when chatting across platforms.
Apple introduced RCS support with iOS 18 in September 2024, several years after it became commonplace on Android. However, support on iPhone still depends on your mobile network, so availability isn’t quite as straightforward as you might first think.
But what exactly is RCS messaging, how does it improve on SMS and which phones and networks support it in 2026? Here’s everything you need to know.
RCS (which stands for Rich Communication Services) was built as the successor to SMS and was designed to accommodate more types of multimedia messaging than SMS can.
Although SMS is universally used and is available on all mobile phones, it has limitations. SMS is limited to up to 160 characters per message and is purely a text-based way of messaging and doesn’t support images or any other multimedia. 
If you did want to send images or multimedia files, you’d need to use MMS. Similar to SMS, MMS messages are sent over the cellular network, which can incur high and unwanted carrier fees, and it’ll massively compress your content too.  
In comparison, RCS chats can include high-res images, videos, voice notes and maps all in one place, without any extra charges involved.
RCS is already available on practically every Android phone, with features not dissimilar to Apple’s iMessage. Google has also added support for end-to-end encryption for chats using RCS in its own Google Messages app, so conversations are protected. This is especially noteworthy, as SMS systems don’t offer this level of security.
RCS also works over Wi-Fi or mobile data and requires all participants in the conversation to have access to RCS, whereas SMS messages are sent over the cellular network.
Yes, RCS messaging has been available on iPhone since the launch of iOS 18 back in September 2024. It brings high-resolution media, typing indicators and read receipts to conversations with Android users – though messages still appear in green bubbles.
However, availability isn’t quite as straightforward as it is on Android. RCS is provided by your mobile network rather than Apple, so you’ll need a compatible plan from an operator that supports the tech on iPhone to take advantage.
In the UK, EE, BT, Three, O2, giffgaff and Tesco Mobile support RCS, while other major networks, including Vodafone, don’t currently support the tech, meaning affected conversations will continue to use SMS or MMS instead.
Support is more widespread in the US, with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all offering RCS on iPhone.
Jess joined the Trusted Reviews team early in 2024, after working for almost three years in lifestyle and technology PR. Using the skills gained from her previous role, Jess has taken on a new challenge, taking the plunge into writing and journalism, with a particular interest in smart home technology. She is also an English graduate from Goldsmiths College and when she’s not typing away at her desk, Jess loves to travel, with her favourite places being Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Rome.
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