For agencies and service businesses
RCS business messaging on iPhone, explained
On iPhone, RCS is the protocol Apple uses for green-bubble conversations with Android contacts, not for iMessage threads between two iPhones. Apple's own support pages describe RCS for Business rolling out on iPhone with select carriers starting in iOS 18.1, bringing branded, verified business messages to those green-bubble conversations. Beam still sends eligible iPhone recipients a blue-bubble iMessage; RCS on an iPhone matters for the Android contacts in the same conversation, or for business alerts an iPhone receives from a sender using RCS for Business directly.
Beam sends from dedicated business numbers. Beam is not affiliated with Apple.
What RCS on iPhone actually is
Per Apple's own explanation of iMessage, RCS and SMS/MMS, RCS messages on iPhone appear in green bubbles, the same color as SMS and MMS, and support delivery receipts, read receipts and typing indicators. iMessage stays the separate, blue-bubble protocol for conversations between Apple devices. Apple's RCS setup page states you need iOS 18 and a cellular plan from a carrier that supports RCS messaging on iPhone, turned on in Settings → Apps → Messages → RCS Messaging.
RCS for Business on iPhone: what Apple has actually shipped
Apple's support page states that with iOS 18.1, RCS for Business began rolling out on iPhone with select carriers, bringing branded, verified business messages to iOS for the first time, and that you can turn those business messages off. Availability depends on your carrier and region; Apple does not state that every carrier or every business sender supports it. Confirm your own carrier's current rollout status directly rather than assuming it is available everywhere.
Apple's RCS for Business vs Google's RCS Business Messaging
Two related but separate things share similar names. GSMA describes RCS itself as the underlying messaging standard. Google's RCS Business Messaging is Google's own branded business product built on that standard, with rich cards, verified sender branding and a dedicated agent builder. Apple's iPhone support page describes RCS for Business rolling out with select carriers as part of the underlying RCS standard, not as an endorsement of Google's specific branded product or its agent builder. Do not assume a Google RCS Business Messaging agent automatically produces the same verified experience when it reaches an iPhone; confirm the carrier's actual rollout and feature support first.
Who this is for
For agencies and service businesses whose audience includes both iPhone and Android recipients, and who want to understand what an iPhone recipient actually receives: iMessage for eligible contacts on a Beam line, or RCS for the Android side of the same campaign. It is not a fit for a requirement that every iPhone recipient receive a branded RCS message, since that depends on Apple's own carrier-dependent rollout, not on Beam.
How Beam routes a mixed iPhone and Android audience
- Beam checks the recipient and the line. An eligible iPhone on a capable Beam line gets iMessage.
- Android recipients get RCS where supported, based on the phone and carrier, with SMS fallback otherwise.
- Confirm the actual channel per contact in Beam rather than assuming every recipient saw the same bubble color or feature set.
Follow the GoHighLevel setup guide to connect this to a workflow, or the Beam API guide to check channel and delivery status programmatically.
What to test before you rely on RCS reaching an iPhone
Test with real iPhone and Android contacts you control. Confirm whether a test iPhone contact has RCS messaging turned on in its own Settings, check which channel Beam recorded for that send, and do not assume a branded RCS experience reached an iPhone contact unless you have confirmed their carrier's rollout supports it. Read the full RCS and SMS fallback guide for the Android-side setup and delivery checks.
Before you connect
Questions about RCS on iPhone
Does RCS on iPhone replace iMessage?
No. iMessage remains the separate, blue-bubble protocol between Apple devices. RCS on iPhone applies to green-bubble conversations with Android contacts, per Apple's own support page.
What do I need to use RCS on iPhone?
Apple's support page states you need iOS 18 and a cellular plan from a carrier that supports RCS messaging on iPhone, turned on in Settings, Apps, Messages, RCS Messaging.
Does every iPhone receive branded RCS for Business messages?
Not necessarily. Apple states RCS for Business began rolling out on iPhone with select carriers starting in iOS 18.1. Availability depends on carrier and region; confirm current status before assuming it reaches every recipient.
Does Beam send RCS to iPhone recipients?
Beam sends an eligible iPhone recipient iMessage when the assigned line supports it. RCS on Beam applies to Android recipients where the phone and carrier support it, with SMS fallback otherwise.
Can I turn off RCS business messages on my iPhone?
Apple's support page states you can turn off RCS business messages on iPhone. That control sits in the recipient's own device settings, not with the sender.
How do I check which channel a specific iPhone contact actually received?
Check the recorded channel and delivery status for that message in Beam rather than assuming based on device type alone.
Sources
Sources checked October 2026.
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Test your iPhone and Android audience together
Bring one follow-up you send to a mixed iPhone and Android audience. Test the channel each contact actually receives before a client rollout.
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