Messaging between iPhone and Android devices is about to become much smoother.

Apple on Thursday announced it plans to adopt the Rich Communication Services messaging standard, which will introduce a number of iMessage features to cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android users, according to reports. These features include read receipts, location sharing, typing indicators and high-resolution videos and photos. RCS can also work over both Wi-Fi and mobile data, according to reports.

Apple’s decision to implement RCS comes as competitors such as Google and Samsung have long encouraged the company to adopt a more adaptable messaging system.

RCS won’t replace SMS completely, though. Instead, it will be adopted separately from the current SMS/MMS technology, in which messages appear in a “green bubble” when sent between iPhone and Android users. SMS/MMS will continue to be the platform used for all messaging between iPhone users, but RCS will supersede SMS/MMS messaging when available, according to reports.

Apple’s addition of RCS messaging will be implemented “later next year,” and will “offer a better interoperability experience when compared to SMS or MMS,” an Apple spokesperson told 9to5Mac.com, which first reported the news.

 - TNS