Apple's iPhone Update—Why You Need To Change Your Messaging App
All change for iMessage
NurPhoto via Getty Images
It was all going so well — to an extent. Messaging between iPhones and Androids is about to get a game-changing update that could be the biggest threat to WhatsApp in a decade. It could end the huge security gap that saw the FBI warn users to stop texting. It could finally kill off SMS. But it has all started to go wrong.
That FBI warning followed Chinese hackers marauding through U.S. networks, highlighting (yet again) the painful lack of full encryption between iPhone And Android messaging when using iMessage and Google Messages. That stock messaging has now upgraded to RCS, and when mobile standards setter GSMA adds end-to-end encryption to its standard RCS protocol, that same messaging will finally be fully secured.
That upgrade will be an Apple/Google competitor to WhatsApp. When communicating within iMessage or Google Messages, content is fully secured. It's only cross-platform that security falls away. Fully encrypting RCS fixes that. And with perfect timing, the controversial decision to force Meta AI on WhatsApp users should have been a gift to Apple, Google and the telco networks operating RCS. Should have been.
But with equally perfect timing, the two major problems with RCS are now making headlines, reminding billions of users why using over-the-top platforms like WhatsApp is so compelling. One is security related, the other is just Google being Google.
On the security front, as I warned this week, RCS is now being used by China's organized criminal gangs, who favor this over SMS given its rich format and better engagement. Resecurity warns new attacks on a 'massive scale' can send 2 million texts daily, 'enough to target every person in the US at least twice every year.'
'Cybercriminals prefer modern messaging platforms because they provide a richer set of tools for creating convincing attacks, better engagement features, and more sophisticated methods of deception.' Exactly the same benefits attracting users.
And those same benefits also bring the second threat to RCS — marketing. Per Phone Arena, 'Google RCS Business Messaging gets flashy, but is this what we wanted? As rich media ads arrive through Google Messages, concerns about spam and consent grow.'
Change your app or change your settings
@UKZak / Apple iOS 18
While Android Police warns 'RCS ad spam worsens across all platforms and could be here to stay… Unwanted RCS advertisements remain rampant to this day. Now that iOS users have been invited to the spamfest, nobody has to feel left out.'
The new warnings have been triggered by the partnership between Clerk Chat, Google and the U.S. networks. This will be 'the first simultaneous multi-carrier RCS deployment in North America [to] transform traditional transactional, SMS announcements into an interactive, AI-powered conversation [with] consumers.' But what starts in the U.S. will shape what's done everywhere else.
It's all about engagement again. 'Internal testing shows that RCS messaging delivers significantly higher engagement rates than traditional SMS… The solution leverages Apple's recent adoption of the RCS protocol and Google's verified business messaging platform, creating a seamless experience for both Android and iOS users.'
'Even as Google delivers various add-on features to reduce spam,' Android Police says, 'there's one thing it's not telling you. The mobile industry explicitly pushes RCS as a way to regain control over the business-to-consumer engagement pipeline and greatly streamline automated marketing messaging. It's not even really a secret, so don't expect it to go away anytime soon. And expect AI to be closely intertwined.'
Google has now brought an unsubscribe button to Android for RCS business messages — one business at a time, of course, and anti-fraud defenses to flag RCS scams within its Messages app. But in a world where 3 billion users turn to WhatsApp each month, there's an easier option for users wanting a less marketing heavy experience. For Apple users, that RCS upgrade is turning out to be much less fun than expected.
So, what can you do. You can change iMessage to an over-the-top platform to escape RCS marketing. If you don't want to move away from iMessage, you can change your settings to disable RCS or RCS Business Messages. Do this in Settings—Apps—Messages—RCS Messaging. This isn't a catch all. As Android Authority warns iPhone users: 'You didn't ask for ads in your RCS chat app, but you're going to get them anyway.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
27 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Trump's new crypto business is a religion
You could hardly expect President Donald Trump to hear about something called an 'infinite money glitch' and not want to try it. Eric Trump announced at a crypto conference in Las Vegas this week that the family business is raising $2.5 billion from investors for its latest crypto project: a 'bitcoin treasury.' (Company executives had denied the plan just days earlier, when they called the Financial Times reporters who broke the story 'dumb writers listening to even dumber sources.')
The Verge
28 minutes ago
- The Verge
Disney Plus' new ‘Perks' pile on discounts and other bonuses
Disney Plus and Hulu are both launching new Perks programs that offer subscribers discounts, digital freebies, and sweepstakes in an effort to stand out from the streaming competition. The Disney Plus Perks program is available now in the US, with an international rollout planned later this year. Offers include a six-month DashPass membership from DoorDash, discounted stays at Walt Disney World, and savings when you shop from Adidas or Funko, along with rotating contests. Hulu is launching its own loyalty scheme on June 2nd. Details on that are still to come, but it will include offers from companies including Microsoft, Pure Green, and LG, with new perks dropping weekly over the summer. To take advantage of the perks you simply have to be a subscriber to either streaming service, and you'll get access to both programs if you subscribe to one of the company's Disney Plus and Hulu bundle plans.
Forbes
28 minutes ago
- Forbes
From Blue Sky Research To Next-Gen AI: Europe's Innovation Crossroads
By Dr. Stefano Tasselli Europe stands at an innovation crossroads. While the United States dominates the AI landscape and China leads in electric vehicle production, the European Union - despite representing 17% of global GDP - struggles to translate its research excellence into market-dominating technologies. New data reveals both challenges and opportunities for European innovation in an increasingly competitive global landscape. The wealth gap between the EU and US, which was 17% in 2002, has widened to 30% in 2023, with 72% of this gap attributed to productivity differentials rather than labor contribution. A stark illustration of this divide appears in market capitalisation figures: US companies' capitalisation is nearly nine times that of EU companies (20.4 versus 2.3 USD trillions), with both East Asia and Arab countries exceeding EU capitalisation. "Only four of the world's top 50 tech companies are European," notes a recent EU competitiveness report. This technological divide is particularly apparent in emerging sectors: Perhaps most concerning is Europe's struggle to retain its innovations. Between 2008 and 2021, EU countries produced 147 "unicorns" (startups valued over $1 billion) - but 40 subsequently relocated their headquarters abroad, primarily to the United States. (Original Caption) Space Center Houston: The Space Shuttle Challenger orbits over a blue Earth ... More speckled with white clouds during its STS-7 mission. This photo was taken by a remote camera aboard the SPAS satellite during the six day flight. Europe's complex regulatory environment may contribute to its innovation challenges. Currently, the EU operates with approximately 100 tech-focused laws and more than 270 digital networks regulators across member states. "The net effect of this burden of regulation is that only larger companies - which are often non-EU based - have the financial capacity and incentive to bear the costs of complying," the EU competitiveness report observes. This regulatory environment creates particularly high barriers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the European economy. While 30% of large European companies utilize AI, only 7% of SMEs do - a critical gap considering that over 90% of European companies are classified as "micro" or "small." As AI development costs escalate - with training next-generation systems potentially reaching $10 billion by 2030 - the ability of European companies to compete independently diminishes without strategic intervention. Research investment reflects similar patterns. The aggregate R&D expenditure in the US reached 762 billion PPP USD in 2022, followed by China at 620 billion. Germany, the highest-spending EU country, invested just 131 billion USD, with all other EU nations below 100 billion. Education statistics tell a related story. Among OECD countries, Canada leads with 54% of its population holding tertiary education, followed by Israel (49%), Japan (48%), South Korea (46%), Taiwan (45%), and the US (44%). None of Europe's four largest economies exceeds 35%. Despite these challenges, several strategic approaches could strengthen Europe's position in the global innovation landscape: Europe could capitalise on its historical role as a global trade leader. The EU has traditionally accounted for nearly 20% of global trade in goods and services. By harmonis ing trade policies and investing in bridge-building technologies across different regions, Europe could position itself as a crucial connector in the global innovation ecosystem. "Recent estimates suggest that this role is declining, with 10% of potential EU GDP hampered by remaining trade frictions in the EU," according to a 2019 European Commission discussion paper - highlighting both the challenge and opportunity. Europe's emphasis on high-quality standards and sustainability presents another avenue for innovation leadership. Recent research suggests that "setting and implementing high standards of design, production and consumption might be a European way to reacquire centrality in the innovation value chain." This approach would leverage existing European strengths, including: The "European dream" of balancing growth with inclusion remains powerful. European countries dominate global rankings of healthcare systems characterized by universal access and defining health as a right rather than a commodity. While aging populations, migration pressures, and public deficits challenge these achievements, they represent distinctive European values that could drive innovation focused on social as well as economic returns. Europe's innovation future depends on balancing its regulatory tradition with growth-oriented policies. Energy costs remain a significant challenge, with European companies paying 2-3 times more for electricity and 4-5 times more for natural gas than their US counterparts. To compete in emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing, Europe must address these fundamental cost issues while creating environments where innovation can flourish within its distinctive model of sustainable, human-centered development. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry observed, "A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock pile when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind." Europe's innovation challenge now lies in constructing that cathedral - building on its foundational strengths while adapting to a rapidly changing technological landscape.
