‘Big News’—Google Changes Android Messages After 12 Years

InnovationCybersecurity‘Big News’—Google Changes Android Messages After 12 YearsByZak Doffman,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Zak Doffman writes about cybersecurity, surveillance and privacy.Follow AuthorMay 12, 2026, 01:35am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.All change for Google MessagesgettyGoogle and Apple have just released matching announcements. iPhone’s new iOS 26.5 is now live, unleashing a long-awaited change to text messaging. But while Apple’s update drives headlines worldwide, Google’s change is more critical.“End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging begins rolling out today for Android and iPhone users,” Google confirmed on May 11. “Google and Apple have led a cross-industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to RCS, making the cross-platform messaging format that replaces traditional SMS more secure and private.”ForbesGoogle And Microsoft Warn Passkeys May Not Stop HackersBy Zak DoffmanThis is the most significant change to Google Messages since its launch in 2014. Some ten billion installs later and having secured the default slot even on Samsung, the platform finally has a chance to go head-to-head with WhatsApp as a secure cross-platform option for its billions of users worldwide. But Apple’s own announcement includes a very telling caveat: “iMessage was built with privacy in mind and has always been end-to-end encrypted. It remains the best way to communicate between Apple devices.” MORE FOR YOUAll change for Google MessagesgettyAnd this is the crux. The RCS encryption upgrade matters more to Google, because iPhone users are more likely to use iMessage as a default than Android users will use Google Messages as theirs. WhatsApp is essentially the Android default.That’s why Android boss Sameer Samat was so bullish on X, describing the change to texting as an “amazing milestone” with a rocket ship emoji to boot. “Big...