High-Resolution Photo Sharing Revolutionizes Cross-Platform Communication for iPhone and Android Users

High-Res Photo Sharing Now Possible Between iPhone and Android Users

As an iPhone user married to an Android user for years, I’ve often experienced the frustration that comes with sharing photos between these two types of devices. Typically, the images come through looking like tiny and blurry postage stamps. But recently, after installing the iOS 18 beta on my iPhone 15 Pro, I asked my partner Anna to send me a picture, and, to my pleasant surprise, the photo came through in high resolution. This upgrade is surely a game-changer.

RCS and the Green Bubble Dilemma

RCS (Rich Communication Services) support is one of the exciting additions in iOS 18, bringing hope to many iPhone and Android users who exchange messages often. At Apple’s WWDC conference, they talked about numerous exciting updates, including homescreen customization, improvements to Siri, and a revamped Photos app. The addition of RCS was mentioned only briefly, indicating it was not Apple’s primary focus. However, for those of us who use both iPhone and Android devices, this is a significant improvement.

RCS is not a complete solution to all messaging woes, though. For instance, the dreaded green bubble persists. The green bubble, which indicates a non-iMessage text, remains green even when using RCS. Additionally, Apple’s RCS implementation isn’t encrypted because they’re using the basic RCS Universal Profile, not Google’s more secure version. So, while it’s not “iMessage for Android,” it’s still a significant upgrade over SMS, offering a better overall experience.

Enhancing Communication Experience

With RCS, green-bubble texting gets a lot more bearable. Both Android and iPhone users gain access to typing indicators, read receipts, high-res media, and more. Even Tapback responses work accurately, as long as the standard emoji options are used. In iOS 18, you can send any emoji as a Tapback, which works perfectly between iPhones. However, it may prompt those annoying “reacted to” messages in Google Messages for now, something Google is likely to fix over time.

Apple’s Three-tier Messaging Protocol

Apple seems to view its messaging protocols in a three-tier system. The best case is communication between two Apple devices, defaulting to iMessage. If iMessage isn’t available, it falls to RCS. When neither iMessage nor RCS are available, it defaults to SMS. This strategy ensures that users will be able to send messages regardless of the protocol available, although SMS remains the least desirable option.

Currently, a lot of my messages still default to SMS. The first message sent from an iPhone appears to go as SMS; after a reply, it switches to RCS. Nonetheless, I haven’t noticed performance issues on my phone, although both SMS and RCS messages send slower than before, particularly when using my laptop and iPad. These minor issues are typical of early beta trials and are expected to be resolved before the final release.

Limitations Still Exist

There are still some limitations with RCS in iOS 18. For instance, the new text formatting options in iOS 18 don’t apply to RCS chats. Sending texts with background effects like balloons will result in a plain text message with an addendum stating “(sent with balloons).” Inline replies and iMessage app functionalities are also unavailable with RCS.

A Long-Awaited Improvement

Despite these limitations, RCS in iOS 18 is a huge step forward for texters everywhere. Users have long sought a better way to share photos and videos across platforms. Tim Cook’s infamous suggestion to “buy your mom an iPhone” in response to a question about texting videos was a testament to the frustration felt by many. Now, with RCS support in iOS 18, this issue is practically resolved. I can see my child’s face clearly in videos and know when my wife has read my messages. It may seem like a small advancement, but for millions of users, it’s the realization of a long-held dream.

also read:How is Google combating RCS spam and improving user experience?