In 2024, Apple added RCS support to the iPhone with iOS 18, ending the single biggest barrier to rich, verified messaging in the US. For years RCS was effectively an Android feature, which capped its usefulness for anyone trying to reach a whole electorate. With Apple on board, RCS becomes a cross-platform reality, and that changes the ceiling for what political texting can do.
What changed?
Before iOS 18, RCS worked on Android but not on iPhone, so a campaign couldn't count on the rich, verified experience reaching everyone, iPhone users just got plain SMS. Apple's adoption means RCS can now, over time, reach both platforms, which is what makes it viable as a real channel rather than an Android-only enhancement. The rollout is gradual and depends on carriers and settings, but the structural barrier is gone.
Why does it matter for political texting?
Because the whole value of RCS for campaigns is verified sender identity, and that only matters if it reaches voters broadly. With iPhone support, a verified campaign name and logo can eventually appear on messages to a much larger share of the electorate, which is exactly the trust signal a compliance-first program wants. Cross-platform RCS also makes rich content, images, buttons, richer asks, worth building for, since it's no longer stranded on one operating system.
What should campaigns do now?
Prepare, don't overhaul. RCS adoption will grow through the next cycles, so the move is to keep SMS as the reliable base, layer RCS in where it's supported for the verified, richer experience, and fall back to plain text where it isn't. As support broadens, the verified-sender advantage compounds, so campaigns that get comfortable with RCS early will be positioned when it becomes the norm. See RCS for campaigns for the fundamentals.
Frequently asked questions
Does the iPhone support RCS now?
Yes. Apple added RCS support with iOS 18 in 2024, ending RCS's Android-only limitation in the US. Rollout is gradual and depends on carriers and settings.
Why does iPhone RCS support matter for campaigns?
Because RCS's value, verified sender identity and rich content, only pays off if it reaches voters broadly. Cross-platform support makes verified, branded political messaging viable at scale.
Should campaigns switch to RCS now?
Not switch, layer. Keep SMS as the reliable base, use RCS where supported for the verified experience, and fall back to plain text elsewhere. The advantage grows as adoption spreads.
Keep reading: RCS for campaigns and SMS vs MMS vs RCS. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.
This reflects developments as of the date above.