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This week, Apple released iOS 18.2. Though the update is mostly being advertised for its new Apple Intelligence features, it also includes another feature long promised for certain U.S. iPhone users.
With the iOS 18.2 update, Boost Mobile customers using iPhones can now use RCS (Rich Communication Services) as an alternative to SMS and MMS. A Reddit user (via Android Authority) was the first to discover the change. Apple teased RCS support last year before making an official announcement at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
RCS is being recognized as the next generation of text messaging that enhances communication between Android and Apple users. This technology offers advantages such as high-quality media sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, improved group chats, and more. Before the iOS 18 update, these features were only available for messages between Apple device users.
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Google and Apple have taken different approaches to promoting RCS. Google began supporting RCS on Android devices via Google Messages without needing input from carriers. Apple, however, requires carriers to support the feature independently. Apple keeps a running list of carriers worldwide that support the feature. In the U.S., AT&T and Verizon, among others, already support RCS messaging.
If you are a Boost Mobile customer, RCS should be enabled after you’ve installed iOS 18.2 on your supported iPhone. To check if RCS is activated, open the Settings app, navigate to Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging, and make sure the toggle is turned on. If you do not see RCS Messaging listed, it’s possible that the carrier has not yet rolled out the feature in your area.
To ensure RCS functions properly, you may also need to go to the Settings app and select General > About. From there, select Update from the pop-up menu.
With the release of iOS 18.2, users who have an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or an iPhone 16 series device will receive a new set of Apple Intelligence features. These enhancements include ChatGPT integration with Siri, a redesigned Siri interface, Visual Intelligence, and Image Playground. The update also brings notification summaries, categorized emails, and improved language support.
