APPLE has announced it’s making a shock change to iPhone following years of pressure from Google and Samsung.
From next year everyone will be able to message each other with advanced features regardless of whether they have an iPhone or an Android device.
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But that doesn’t mean Apple is giving out the keys to its prized iMessage just yet.
The iPhone maker says it will finally adopt the same messaging standard as Android, so users can see read receipts, see typing indicators, as well as send images and videos through an everyday text.
It’s officially known as RCS, which is a richer alternative to the traditional SMS text message – you need data or Wi-Fi to send and receive them.
The move appears to come in response to a new EU law that forces big companies like Apple to ensure their services work across different devices.
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An Apple spokesperson told 9to5Mac that the upgrade will happen next year.
But the tech giant made it clear that the change doesn’t mean iMessage is disappearing.
In other words, the blue bubble vs green bubble texting divide – in which Android users are outed with a green bubble while iPhone messages are in blue ones – won’t be going away anytime soon.
“Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association,” they said.
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“We believe RCS Universal Profile will offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS.
“This will work alongside iMessage, which will continue to be the best and most secure messaging experience for Apple users.”
Of course, Google-owned Android is delighted by the development.
“We believe everyone deserves to communicate inclusively no matter what phone they have,” the company said.
“This is one huge step closer to doing that.
“Excited for Apple to embrace RCS, the modern industry standard, to help make messaging better for everyone.”
It’s not the first time Apple has been forced into making changes by the EU.
A recent law requiring all smartphones to use the same charging cable resulted in the American firm dropping its own Lightning cables for the more universal USB-C.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best…
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you’re due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you’re down to 80% capacity. If you’re below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
