The standards organization GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide, introduced RCS (Rich Communication Services) Universal Profile (UP) 4.0 last March, and UP 4.1 in July. Since the GSMA has published the standards for these two Universal Profiles, it is now up to Google and Apple to code these standards into their operating systems and messaging apps. Lastly, it is then up to the carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to update their servers to support the new standards.
By next year you should be able to start a native cross-platform video chat from your text thread
Once the carriers start supporting these Universal Profiles, we will see cross-platform support for things like italics, bold text, and strikethroughs to your messages. It also will allow users to send native cross-platform RCS video calls straight from their text thread.
Here's an example of how this feature might work
Let's give you an example. Two musicians in different states named Brian and Keith are trying to work out a guitar riff together for a song that came to Keith in a dream. Keith has an iPhone and Brian owns an Android handset, and with the distance between them, Keith and Brian are unable to get any satisfaction using guitar tabs and text.
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Instead of using WhatsApp, or another third-party app, right in the middle of their texting session, Keith and Brian could communicate via a video chat that was initiated by one of the two.
What is the best new feature of RCS Universal Profile 4 and 4.1?
This just might be the best new feature coming to RCS UP 4 and UP 4.1, although others might suggest that the standardized end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across the different operating systems is the best feature of the combined Universal Profiles.
Strings of code discovered in Google Messages show that RCS Video is on the way
Next year, iOS and Android users will enjoy the cross-platform benefits of RCS UP 4 and UP 4.1, and only after that will we be able to decide which feature is the best part of RCS UP4 and UP 4.1.
Strings of code confirm that RCS Video is coming soon. | Image by Android Authority
Strings of code discovered by Android Authority in the latest beta version of the Google Messages app (messages.android_20260924_00_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic release) revealed the future video capabilities of RCS. We might not know exactly when this will be available next year, but it does appear as though the updated RCS will be worth waiting for regardless of whether you text with a blue bubble or a green bubble.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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