Apple brings major messaging upgrade in iOS 26.3 public beta 2

Arriving one day after the latest developer beta, the iOS 26.3 public beta 2 is now available for install. It includes new code referencing carrier support for end-to-end encryption in RCS messaging, suggesting secure cross-platform chats may arrive soon.

Discover the new references found in iOS 26.3 public beta 2, according to 9to5Mac.

RCS End-to-End encryption

The new public beta contains the same software build that was released to developers. After a day of testing, the most significant new discovery involves RCS messaging in the Messages app.

As user Tiino-X83 spotted on X, beta 2 includes references to carriers supporting end-to-end encryption for RCS.

The code string "SupportsE2EE" has been added, laying the groundwork for full RCS end-to-end encryption support, which may launch when iOS 26.3 is released to the public.

Apple has previously pledged to support end-to-end encryption via RCS in a future software update. While there's no guarantee that iOS 26.3 will be the update that delivers this feature, the new code string is an encouraging sign that it will be available soon.

Other changes in iOS 26.3 that were present in Beta 1 include a new option to switch from iPhone to Android, updates to the wallpaper gallery, and a notification forwarding feature for EU users.

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