Apple has reportedly entered into its first telecom collaboration in India with Reliance Jio to enable rich communication services (RCS) messaging on iPhones.
Through this integration, Jio subscribers using iPhones can now exchange iMessage-like blue tick RCS texts with high-resolution media over Wi-Fi or mobile data at no extra charge.
Further, the tie-up comes at a time when RCS adoption is accelerating in India, which is fast emerging as the largest market for the service by volume, challenging WhatsApp’s dominance. Globally, RCS messaging has been rolled out in 11 countries, including India. Apple only recently announced its support for the service, following years of resistance.
According to the experts, RCS is seen as a revival opportunity for carrier-led messaging, which has struggled to stay relevant amid the rise of over the top (OTT) apps. They further point out that Apple’s decision to enable RCS through telecom tie-ups underscores regulatory and ecosystem pressures to ensure platform interoperability.
