Apple RCS Coming in Fall 2024, Google Reveals

Apple's plans to adopt RCS for its iPhone's iMessage app is coming this Fall 2024, and Google was the one that revealed this information on its latest update on the Google Messages Android website. Here, the internet company said that Cupertino already announced that it is targeting this adoption to come later this year, but is yet unknown how the integration would change the experiences.

RCS has long been touted by Google as an advancement compared to Apple's SMS and MMS usage, centering on the iMessage platform.

Apple's RCS is Coming by Fall 2024 says Google

Google's latest landing page for Android's Google Messages revealed that Apple will make the RCS change come "fall of 2024," but did not specify which date it will come. The company said that RCS is "Coming soon on iOS," despite Apple not yet officially announcing this on their end, and may do so come the June WWDC 2024 event it already confirmed.

The latest revelation from Google, as it talked about the benefits of RCS, revealed that Apple announced the arrival of the integration later this year.

However, it is still unknown when Apple would drop the RCS integration exactly this Fall, but it is also known to be the same time when Cupertino is dropping the iOS update and new iPhones.

Will iMessage be cross-compatible with Google?

Not much was revealed by Google, and certainly did Apple, about this upcoming integration of RCS to the iPhone's messaging system this fall, especially as it is expected that iMessage may soon be cross-compatible with this change.

That being said, Google's excitement over this integration may indicate that a possible interoperable experience may be coming for its Messages app and Cupertino's iMessage.

Google vs. Apple: Green and Blue Bubbles

For many years, Google has shaded Apple in its focus on using SMS and MMS services for its iMessage, with iPhone users getting the blue bubbles while other devices may only send and receive green bubbles. This is because of its exclusive features and reluctance to adopt RCS, something which Google reiterated with the 'Get the Message' campaign.

Many were also enraged against Apple when its CEO, Tim Cook, said that the solution to avoiding the green and blue bubble fiasco on the iMessage is to "Buy your Mom an iPhone," when presented with a question about RCS.

In the latest antitrust case of Apple vs. the US DOJ, AG Merrick B. Garland highlighted this infamous quote from Cook that highlighted the iMessage in the alleged monopolistic tactics of the company.

That being said, Apple already announced its RCS adoption late last year before this complaint, which may mean that other aspects of the company would be targeted by the antitrust case.

While it remains unknown what will happen to iMessage once Apple brings RCS by the fall of 2024, Google is one to spill the beans behind it, awaiting this adoption by Cupertino.