Apple has quietly rolled out an update that improves the messaging between iOS and Android users. The tech giant has finally addressed a long-standing issue with how message reactions from Android devices are displayed on iPhones.
Previously, when an Android user reacted to an RCS (Rich Communication Services) message from an iOS user, the emoji reaction would appear as a separate line of text. Now, these reactions are seamlessly integrated into the message bubble on iOS devices, similar to what they experience when other iPhone users react to it.
The Verge has confirmed this improvement through tests conducted between iPhones running iOS 18.1 and various Android phones. Reactions now display correctly in both directions.
It’s uncertain whether Google or Apple made the necessary adjustments to enable this functionality, but it’s most likely Apple. Neither company has provided official comments on the matter.
Apple’s support for RCS has recently shifted following pressure from China and the EU after initial resistance. Basic RCS support was introduced with iOS 18.
Apple’s Messages app now officially supports the RCS Universal Profile, which is the basic RCS standard. The emoji reaction support is part of RCS version 2.7, which should also include message editing capabilities. However, The Verge was unable to confirm if message editing is currently functional on iOS.
Apple is likely to maintain certain exclusive features for its iMessage service.
More here.