Apple recently announced plans to support Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging on iOS devices with iOS 18. RCS brings a number of enhancements to the messaging experience between Android and iOS devices, including read receipts, typing indicators, and high-quality media sharing. Click here to read more about RCS.

Apple has also indicated that they will support RCS Business Messaging on iOS devices, which includes several new features for business to engage with customers:

  • Branded profiles with a logo and verified contact information
  • Suggested reply buttons and actions attached to messages
  • Multiple-choice carousels with images and buttons
  • Ability to quick-dial a phone number or save to Wallet
  • And much more…

These features will unlock a new, interactive messaging experience for AI chatbots and other businesses sending messages to customers. Over time, we expect RCS to become the de facto standard for business messaging on iOS and Android.

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When will RCS be available?

Sendo will launch API support for RCS Business Messaging as soon as it is available. The cell carriers and Apple are currently finalizing the technical details, and we expect to have more information in the coming months. Like SMS, companies sending RCS will need to complete an approval process to ensure the messaging ecosystem remains free of spam and fraud. We expect to have more details about this process soon.

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How much will RCS cost?

The cell carriers are still finalizing the pricing for RCS messaging. We expect the cost to be similar to SMS/MMS, but we will have more information in the coming months.