The new generation of RCS will bring these great changes. Users have been waiting years for at least one of them

The GSMA organization has introduced innovations in the new generation of the RCS communication protocol. The new version RCS Universal Profile 4.0 brings features that users have been waiting for years – primarily the ability to make video calls without having to switch to another application. This is the most comprehensive upgrade of this standard to date.

Video calls directly from the conversation

The main new feature of RCS 4.0 is the Messaging-Initiated Video Calls (MIVC) function, which allows you to initiate a video call directly from an ongoing conversation. It will work in both individual chats and group conversations. Participants in a group call will be able to join later if they missed the original invitation – video call logs will be displayed directly in the chat timeline.

In practice, this means that Google Messages or iMessage could offer video calls without switching to Google Meet or FaceTime. A user would simply tap a button in the conversation and initiate a call with anyone – regardless of whether the other party uses Android or iPhone. Furthermore, devices will automatically negotiate the optimal codec for the highest possible image quality.

Text formatting finally in RCS

Surprisingly, only now is RCS getting support for text formatting. With version 4.0, users will be able to write in bold, italics, or use strikethrough – basic styles that platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram have offered for years. GSMA also considered backward compatibility: if a message falls back to SMS, the recipient will receive plain text without formatting marks, so they won’t see a jumble of asterisks.

The new generation of RCS will bring these great changes. Users have been waiting years for at least one of them Adam Kurfürst News Adam Kurfürst News

This change should also solve the problem with text effects from iMessage. When an iPhone user sends a message with an animated effect to Android today, the recipient sees strange formatting code. With RCS 4.0, at least basic styles should display correctly on both platforms.

Higher quality photos and videos

RCS Universal Profile 4.0 will also improve media sharing. Before sending a photo or video, devices will exchange information about supported formats and select optimal encoding. This should eliminate situations where a video arrives in low quality because the sending phone chose a “safe” format with high compression.

Similarly, voice messages will also improve. Thanks to a standardized codec, a voice message from Google Messages should sound just as good on an iPhone as on another Android device.

When can we expect it?

The announcement of RCS Universal Profile 4.0 does not mean that the features will be available soon. RCS Universal Profile 3.0 was introduced in March 2025, and its main new feature – end-to-end encryption between Android and iOS – is still only being tested. Realistically, features from version 4.0 can be expected to arrive in Google Messages and iMessage no earlier than late 2026 or early 2027.

Furthermore, Apple has historically not embraced new standards with great enthusiasm. While Google could implement video calls relatively quickly (at least for communication between Android devices), it might take considerably longer for iPhones. FaceTime and iMessage are strategic products for Apple, and it’s unclear how readily they will replace them with an interoperable solution.

Which of the new RCS 4.0 features interests you the most?

Sources: GSMA, 9to5Google, Android Authority