According to TechRadar, Apple has announced that it will finally add support for the RCS messaging standard to the iPhone through an upcoming software release. The RCS, or Rich Communications Services, standard was developed by the GSM Association and is widely used within the Android ecosystem to improve messaging communication across mobile devices.

A representative from Apple stated that the company recognizes the potential benefits of the RCS Universal Profile and will be implementing support for it in a future software update. However, Apple made it clear that this move will not replace the existing iMessage platform, and will work in conjunction with it to provide users with a more universal messaging experience.

Once RCS support is enabled on the iPhone, Android users will be able to communicate more seamlessly with iPhone users, without some of the limitations that currently exist. However, it’s important to note that the RCS standard still does not support end-to-end encryption, a feature that Apple has prioritized for its messaging platform.

The decision to integrate RCS support comes after criticism from competitors such as Samsung and Google, which have already introduced support for the standard. Google in particular has been vocal about Apple’s delay in adopting the standard.

The move also follows reports of a European Union push for Apple to comply with multiple messaging standards, similar to how Apple has started implementing USB-C ports on its latest iPhone models. It’s likely that the adoption of RCS on the iPhone is a response to this growing pressure.