Download iOS 18 now and watch your friends on Android smile

Apple has released iOS 18 for iPhone owners, but one of this year’s key features is something Android fans have been waiting years for.

Once iPhone users install iOS 18 on their devices, iPhone and Android users will finally be exchanging texts on the same messaging protocol.

After years of heel dragging and accusatory remarks from Google, Apple has adopted the Rich Communications Standard (RCS) for messages between iPhone and Android devices. Apple-to-Apple messages will still be handled by the much-loved iMessage standard.

What that’ll mean for cross platform texting is live typing indicators, message editing, proper rendering of reactions, delivered/read indicators, and full resolution videos and images. It basically remedies everything that’s made having cross platform group chats an awful experience for years. RCS is also much more secure than the ancient SMS standard it’ll replace, so everyone’s a winner.

Elsewhere in iOS 18, there’s the revamped Control Centre, satellite messaging, the new iCloud Passwords app, and loads more. What’s missing for now are the Apple Intelligence AI features, expected in iOS 18.1 before the end of the year for iPhone 15 Pro and up. Until that point RCS messages (which will still be green, sorry Android users) is perhaps the biggers change.

To download iOS 18 on iPhone, head to Settings > General > Software Update and check for availability. If you have automatic downloads enabled, it may be there in the background waiting for you to simply install. You’ll need to be on Wi-Fi and have plenty of batterty life remaining. It’s also wise to perform a backup of your phone via iCloud (if that’s your preferred method) before installing.

Apple has also dropped watchOS 10 and macOS Sequoia for Apple Watch and Mac owners.