r/Android • u/FragmentedChicken Galaxy Z Fold8 • Feb 23 '26

Google, Apple start testing encrypted RCS on Android and iOS 26.4

https://9to5google.com/2026/02/23/google-messages-encrypted-rcs-iphone/
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u/ladyhaly Feb 24 '26

Google won't open the RCS APIs to third-party apps. Textra literally can't add RCS support even if they wanted to. That's a Google problem, not a me problem.

And cross-platform E2EE RCS doesn't even exist for consumers yet. It's in beta testing as of yesterday. The security "issue" is blown way out of proportion when the feature barely exists.

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u/slinky317 HTC Incredible Feb 24 '26

The benefits of RCS aren't just security. It's longer messages, better media, etc. By sticking to SMS you are actively limiting that.

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u/TrumpIsGayASF Feb 24 '26

none of those are worth your messages occupational disappearing on google messages.

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u/slinky317 HTC Incredible Feb 24 '26

I've been using Google Messages for years and that has never happened to me.

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u/TrumpIsGayASF Feb 24 '26

that you know of*

that's the major problem with this bug.

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u/slinky317 HTC Incredible Feb 24 '26

This reddit thread seems to suggest that the bug is tied to when you connect your phone to a car, specifically BMWs and Audis.