Google working on end-to-end encryption for RCS in Messages app – The Tech Report

Last December, we reported that Google had completed its rollout of Rich Communication Services (RCS) for the Message app in the U.S. Google had been pushing RCS as a replacement for SMS and MMS, and was able to convince AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and fifty-three other carriers to support RCS. With the U.S. infrastructure in place, Google implemented RCS support in its Messages app for Android. Sadly, RCS is not end-to-end encrypted (E2EE), but Google is working to change that.

An internal QA testing, or dogfood, build of Messages 6.2 recently showed up on APKmirror, and 9to5Googles APK Insight team dug through the build to look for future changes and features. The most notable new feature is end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. The dogfood build contains privacy settings with a toggle that allows or blocks other apps from accessing E2EE messages. It also looks as though E2EE will require both the sender and recipient to simultaneously have good internet connections. If this condition is not met, the app will present users with the option to send SMS or MMS messages as an alternative, but will warn them that said messages will not be encrypted. We dont currently know when E2EE will go live for RCS, but this leaked build of Messages indicates that it is on the way.

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Google working on end-to-end encryption for RCS in Messages app - The Tech Report