iOS 18 beta 3 expands RCS to more carriers

One of the top iOS 18 features is RCS adoption. While Apple has been implementing it beta over beta, it also requires carriers to support this feature.

Once this function is fully available, it means Android and iPhone users will be able to chat with fewer restrictions, as they will be able to share high-quality images, GIFs, videos, and even react to messages.

With iOS 18 beta 3 now available to developers, 9to5Mac discovered that Apple is enabling RCS support on the iPhone for more carriers. With that, overseas carriers are also part of this update.

These are all carriers that support RCS in iOS 18 so far:

Canada: Videotron, Telus Mobility, and Bell

Spain: Telefonica

France: SFR

Germany: O2

US: AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon

If you are running the developer's beta, you can enable RCS in Settings, Apps, and Messages. If an RCS toggle isn't showing up, it probably means your carrier hasn't yet supported this feature on your iPhone.

It's important to note that Apple won't offer the same features Google's RCS has. For example, if you're chatting between iPhone and Android devices, the bubbles will remain green, but messages are marked as being sent through the RCS standard. As mentioned above, you'll get read receipts, typing support, and emoji reactions to messages. In addition, file transfers also seem to work in RCS on iPhones.

Besides that, iOS 18 adds even more features to the Messages app, such as:

All-new text effects: You can amplify any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with dynamic, animated appearances

Personalize messages: Users can better express tone by adding formatting like bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough;

Tapbacks: Includes any emoji or sticker;

Schedule messages: Over the iMessage menu, you can schedule a message to send later;

Messages via satellite: When cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available, you can send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.