Google Messages Is Closer to Safe Cross-Platform RCS Messaging

Google Messages is rapidly becoming a top messaging platform for Android users. It supports RCS, offering features like read receipts, typing indicators, and end-to-end encryption, Android Police reports. Google Messages is also tightly integrated into the Android ecosystem and connects with Gemini AI.

In 2023, Google announced that it had reached 1 billion active RCS users, and that number has been growing, as Google Messages comes pre-installed on most Android phones. That same year, Google committed to supporting Messaging Layer Security (MLS), and we’re now seeing the first signs of it in the app.

MLS is an encryption standard developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Google has been working on integrating it into Google Messages, possibly replacing or working alongside the Signal Protocol that is currently used for encryption on RCS.

This could lead to cross-platform RCS encryption between Android and iOS, including group chats, once more services adopt MLS.

According to Android Authority, the latest Google Messages beta version (v20250106) contains code for MLS, specifically the ‘Zinnia’ flag. By enabling this flag, MLS was activated for one-on-one chats, and the encryption protocol’s value confirmed its presence. However, group chats are not yet supported by MLS.

MLS isn’t publicly available yet, and it’s unclear when Google will roll it out fully. But even if it arrives soon, cross-platform compatibility will only be effective once other messaging platforms adopt MLS too.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!