At long last, Android and iPhone users can send each other end-to-end encrypted text messages. On Monday, this privacy feature began rolling out in beta for conversations between the two devices running the latest software.

This is a significant step forward in digital privacy as e2ee makes it near-impossible for anyone else to intercept and read the message. Until now, messages between iPhone and Android devices could not be end-to-end encrypted, despite iMessage's encryption since 2011 and Android users' ability to communicate among themselves via e2ee since 2021.

The long-standing issue arose due to iOS and Android users having clunky communications. Apple refused to support RCS messaging until 2023, under regulatory pressure, bringing features like typing indicators, read receipts, emoji reactions, longer message lengths, and encryption to text messages.

Now that Apple has finally caved, e2ee on RCS helps close the gap between green and blue bubbles. However, users may not have access just yet as the beta is only rolling out. A lock icon indicates a chat protected by end-to-end encryption.