Apple appears to be progressing towards the implementation of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, as indicated by references found in the iOS 26.3 beta 2. Notably, this update includes a new carrier bundle setting that could allow carriers to manage E2EE availability for their users. This development follows Apple’s announcement last March regarding its plans to adopt the encryption feature after it was standardized by the GSM Association.
According to observations made by Tiino-X83 on X, only the four main French carriers—Bouygues, Orange, SFR, and Free—currently have this specific line of code, with no other carriers in different countries showing similar indications. The GSMA documentation mandates that E2EE must be enabled by default unless local regulations impose restrictions, which may explain the selective availability.
While it remains uncertain whether this feature will be part of the upcoming iOS 26.3 release, the inclusion of the code suggests that Apple is making significant preparations for future updates that may incorporate E2EE functionality.