Apple has recently began testing a new technology that enables encryption of text messages sent via the RCS standard – the modern replacement for the familiar SMS. The ultimate goal of the move is to allow iPhone and Android users to correspond with each other in a secure “end-to-end” manner, so that only the sender and the recipient can read the content of the message, without the ability of telecom providers or external parties to peek at the information.
Despite users’ expectations, at the current testing stage the encryption works only between iPhones themselves, and the company clarified that the ability to correspond in encrypted form with Android devices is not yet available. In addition, the new option will not be launched to the general public in the upcoming operating system update, but will be officially distributed only at a later date, after the tests and coordination with international communications associations are completed.
The transition to the RCS standard has already improved over the past year the quality of photos and videos sent between the different systems, but the issue of privacy has remained a weak point. Now, Apple is aligning with the high security standards that exist in applications such as WhatsApp, with the aim of making the built-in messaging app on the phone safer for everyday use.
Alongside the improvement in security, the beta version also includes a new feature for podcast enthusiasts. From now on, it will be possible to switch easily and quickly between listening to audio only and watching the video of the same episode, without losing the point in time where the user stopped. The improvement is intended to make it easier to transition between different usage modes, such as switching from listening while driving to watching at home.