Apple's decision to introduce Rich Communications Services (RCS) support to iMessage in 2024 has been widely reported as being influenced by regulatory pressures from China, rather than the European Union. Several sources, including notable tech analysts and insiders, have pointed out that the Chinese government's move in 2023 to codify a requirement for new 5G devices to support RCS likely played a pivotal role in Apple's policy reversal. This development, unexpectedly announced in Nov 2023, marks a significant shift for Apple, which had previously shown no indication of moving towards RCS, a messaging standard that notably lacks encryption provisions. The decision has sparked discussions regarding the implications for user privacy and Apple's compliance strategies in different global markets.
Apple Likely Adopting RCS Messaging Standard to Comply With Chinese Law https://t.co/YGiaqmZ1bi https://t.co/OUVVBdFjMu
Daring Fireball’s Gruber: Apple ‘Forced’ by China to Bring RCS to iMessage #applenews https://t.co/FUEkNzMCYN https://t.co/KSExslEHPu
“Apple’s hand was effectively forced. But by China, not the EU.” Apple unexpectedly announced in Nov 2023 that iOS would support the Rich Communications Services (RCS) Universal Profile in 2024. The RCS standard has no provisions for encryption. 🇨🇳 carriers have been proponents… https://t.co/L7rZU24ess
Apple's new RCS stance may have been forced by China https://t.co/tgAKU6LCZR #Apple
Insider says China is the reason why iMessage will support RCS https://t.co/cY4udFIP4h
Apple's decision to introduce RCS support to iMessage sometime in 2024 wasn't caused by pressure from Europe, according to a new report, but instead China may have had more to do with the move. By @MalcolmOwen https://t.co/xuxlQaUI7b
Apple RCS support not driven by the EU but by China - https://t.co/qQZ36INXft - by @AbdulSbeei
Apple's reversal on RCS wasn't forced by the EU, but likely by China, whose government began codifying in 2023 a requirement for new 5G devices to support RCS (@gruber / Daring Fireball) https://t.co/8d5HLz6IPe 📫 Subscribe: https://t.co/OyWeKSRpIM https://t.co/e5tODBFfUx
Apple might be supporting RCS on the iPhone to comply with Chinese regulation https://t.co/oJNnjwkhVq by @technacity
Gruber: Apple was 'effectively forced' by China to bring RCS to iPhone https://t.co/Fvx76YYCpF by @ChanceHMiller