GSMA Announces RCS Universal Profile 4.0 Upgrade

The GSMA, the global industry organization overseeing mobile communication standards, announced RCS Universal Profile 4.0 on March 26, introducing native video calling, text formatting, and enhanced media sharing to the Rich Communication Services protocol. This upgrade aims to transform RCS into a more comprehensive messaging platform, bridging gaps between traditional texting and modern apps.

RCS, developed over a decade ago as an evolution of SMS and MMS, enables features such as read receipts, typing indicators, and high-resolution media exchange. The standard has seen increased adoption since Apple integrated RCS support into iOS 18 in 2024, improving interoperability between Android and iPhone devices. Previously, cross-platform messaging often relied on third-party applications, but RCS now offers a unified alternative directly through default messaging apps.

The centerpiece of Universal Profile 4.0 is Message-Initiated Video Calls, or MIVC, which allows users to start video calls seamlessly within individual or group chats. According to the GSMA, this feature provides "a smooth, intuitive upgrade path from text to realtime interaction that is fully integrated within the...