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The Big Picture

With Apple announcing RCS (Rich Communication Services) support for iOS 18, the messaging channel long confined to Android will soon be available to the majority of mobile users worldwide. This move signals a turning point: SMS is no longer the ceiling of mobile messaging; it’s the floor.

RCS brings rich media, branding, interactivity, and security directly into the default messaging app on billions of phones. For marketers, that means a new world of opportunity: dynamic conversations, personalized journeys, and app-like experiences, all without ever leaving the inbox.

This blog explores what RCS really means for marketers, why Apple’s support changes everything, and how AI and orchestration platforms like Optimove are set to redefine what’s possible in mobile engagement.

Why Apple’s Move Matters

Until now, RCS has primarily been an Android story. Google championed the protocol, Android manufacturers supported it, and carriers slowly adopted it. However, Apple’s resistance created a fragmented experience with iMessages on one side and SMS/MMS fallback on the other. 

That changes with iOS 18.

By bringing RCS to iPhone, Apple isn’t just enhancing messaging; it’s completing the channel. For the first time, brands can deliver rich, app-like messaging to virtually the entire global smartphone market through the default SMS app.

Here’s why that’s significant:

• Ubiquity: Apple commands more than 50% of the smartphone market in key regions like the U.S. and the U.K. With RCS now on iPhone, brands can confidently build campaigns knowing reach is no longer limited by platform. 
• Parity: Messaging features once reserved for OTT (Over-the-Top) apps like WhatsApp or Messenger, images, carousels, buttons, read receipts, verified senders now come natively in the Messages app.
• Trust: Consumers already trust their default messaging app. With verified branding and enhanced security, RCS gives marketers a high-trust channel with the kind of interaction previously limited to apps or email.

Apple’s move turns RCS into a truly universal channel, not a feature of Android, but the new foundation of mobile messaging. For marketers, that creates an opportunity (and urgency) to rethink mobile engagement entirely.

A case in point, skincare brand Clarins increased engagement rates by 2.5x with RCS.

What This Means for Marketers

Apple’s adoption of RCS isn’t just a product update; it’s a signal that mobile messaging is entering a new era. One where brands can create richer, more interactive customer experiences directly within the native messaging app.

For marketers, this shift offers three major implications:

1. The Inbox Gets a Makeover – RCS transforms traditional SMS into a dynamic, branded experience. Carousels, images, videos, suggested replies, and CTAs are now part of the message; no need to drive customers elsewhere. That means higher engagement, clearer conversion paths, and fewer drop-offs.

2. Retention, Not Just Acquisition – RCS is ideal for retention marketing: personalized reminders, product recommendations, loyalty updates, and win-back campaigns that feel more like a conversation than a one-way push. It enables brands to meet customers in the moment with relevance and immediacy, all in the channel they check most.

3. A First-Mover Advantage – This is a rare moment when marketers can be early, not behind. While OTT messaging platforms are mature, RCS on iPhone is brand new. Marketers who invest early in RCS strategy and creativity will stand out, command attention, and set the bar for great mobile messaging.

In short, Apple just turned RCS into a must-have channel. The most innovative brands will treat it as more than an SMS upgrade; they’ll see it as a reinvention of mobile engagement.

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How to Get Started

RCS is more than just another box to check. It offers a new creative canvas for mobile engagement. To unlock its full potential, marketers need a clear, intentional approach that goes beyond simply replacing SMS.

Here are four steps to get started:

1. Audit Your Mobile Messaging Strategy – Begin by reviewing your current SMS campaigns. Identify those that rely on links, images, or multiple steps to drive engagement. These are strong candidates for RCS, which allows you to deliver more interactive experiences within a single message.

2. Design for Interaction, Not Just Information – With RCS, you can use multimedia, carousels, and quick-reply buttons. This opens the door to creating conversations rather than just sending alerts. Think about how customers can browse products, schedule appointments, or claim offers directly from the message.

3. Segment, Personalize, and Automate – Use your customer data to tailor RCS content based on behavior, preferences, and lifecycle stages. Set up automated journeys that trigger messages at key moments, such as reminders, re-engagement nudges, or post-purchase follow-ups.

4. Choose the Right Technology Partner – RCS messaging depends on carrier support, compliance, and multichannel coordination. Select a marketing platform that supports RCS within a fully integrated CRM system. This ensures RCS is part of a broader strategy across email, SMS, mobile push, and more.

The Future of RCS Messaging

RCS is still gaining adoption, but its potential is clear. RCS will become a core part of mobile messaging strategies as more users gain access and carriers continue to roll out support globally.

For brands, the shift toward rich, conversational messaging is part of a broader trend: customers expect more than alerts and promotions. They expect interactions. They want brands to be relevant, responsive, and personal.

As AI, automation, and real-time data become standard in marketing technology, RCS offers a powerful channel to deliver on that promise. It’s not just a better version of SMS; it’s a bridge to the next generation of customer engagement. Examples resonating the most with AI are personalized offers, a personal shopper experience based on behavior, or local store information based on location data.

Now is the time for marketers to explore RCS, test what works, and be early leaders in adopting a mobile messaging channel built for how consumers want to connect today.

In Summary

RCS messaging is more than an upgrade to SMS; it represents a meaningful shift in how brands can build deeper, more interactive relationships with their customers. It combines the familiarity and reach of texting with the functionality of modern apps, allowing brands to be more personal, more helpful, and more immediate.

As mobile continues to shape the digital experience, RCS offers marketers a direct line to consumers in a format that is visual, dynamic, and conversational.

Brands that begin experimenting with RCS today will be better prepared to lead as the channel continues to evolve. With platforms like Optimove, marketers can integrate RCS into their broader multichannel strategies, ensuring that every message across every channel is coordinated, personalized, and timely.

RCS is here. The opportunity is significant. And the brands that act now will set the standard for the future of mobile engagement.

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About Sinch and the partner relationship with Optimove

Sinch empowers brands to scale meaningful customer engagement through its robust global platform. With powerful APIs and applications, Sinch helps businesses deliver timely and relevant interactions that build stronger customer relationships.
In partnership with Optimove, Sinch enhances the ability of marketers to turn deep customer insights into personalized, orchestrated experiences. This collaboration combines Sinch’s global infrastructure with Optimove’s Positionless Marketing platform to increase retention, loyalty, and customer lifetime value.

The post Rich Communication Services (RCS) on iOS 18: A Messaging Shift Marketers Can’t Ignore appeared first on Optimove.

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