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iOS 26.4 Beta 2, reported on February 23, 2026, expanded testing of end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android. The update also included several smaller interface and system changes. The encryption feature was still a beta test, not a guarantee that every cross-platform RCS conversation was protected.
RCS encryption testing expanded
Apple’s iOS 26.4 release notes said: “In this beta, RCS end-to-end encryption will become available for testing between Apple and Android devices.” The wording matters: Beta 2 expanded testing; it did not announce universal encryption for iPhone-to-Android messages.
In its February 23 roundup, MacRumors reported that an encrypted conversation could show a lock icon. During the test, availability depended on support across the devices and carriers involved. The iPhone needed iOS 26.4, and the Android phone needed the latest version of Google Messages. The report did not establish a complete carrier-by-carrier or Android-device compatibility list, so the presence of RCS alone should not be taken as proof that a conversation was encrypted.
Other changes in Beta 2
The same contemporaneous roundup listed these smaller changes:
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Apple 2025 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 chip with 10‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU: Built for AI, 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD Storage; Space Black
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- Home Screen: The Edit menu adopted a more transparent Liquid Glass appearance.
- Games app: Search moved from the bottom of the display to the top.
- App Store and Apple Music: The Apple Account wording in the account hubs became left-aligned and used the same rainbow logo as Settings.
- Accessibility: A Reduce Highlighting Effects option appeared under Display and Text Size.
- Software update details: Tapping the update name displayed its build number.
- Beta enrollment: MacRumors reported that users who kept beta updates enabled but installed no beta updates for four months would be switched automatically to the public release audience.
- Emoji: Beta 2 added no new emoji characters, according to the roundup.
- Playlist Playground: The feature remained limited to the United States at that point in the beta cycle; this is not a statement about its current regional availability.
What this Beta 2 report does—and does not—establish
Apple announced the iOS 26.4 beta cycle on February 16, 2026, for developer testing, and the detailed Beta 2 roundup followed on February 23. Apple’s release notes describe the RCS encryption work as testing, while the detailed interface list comes from MacRumors’ contemporaneous report. This is a record of that February 2026 beta build, not a guide to the current iOS release or a claim about the feature’s later rollout.
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Apple 2025 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 chip with 10‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU: Built for AI, 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD Storage; Silver
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- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
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- HAPPILY EVER FASTER — Along with its faster CPU and unified memory, M5 features a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.
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Apple 2026 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 Pro chip with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU: Built for AI, 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 48GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi 7; Space Black
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Rank #2
Apple 2026 MacBook Pro Laptop with Apple M5 Pro chip with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU: Built for AI, 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 24GB Unified Memory, 1TB SSD, Wi-Fi 7; Space Black
- FAST RUNS IN THE FAMILY — The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. With all-day battery life, double the starting storage,* and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display, it’s pro in every way.*
- BUCKLE UP — Along with a next-generation CPU, faster unified memory, and up to 2x faster SSD storage,* M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance and on-device training capabilities. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding on-device AI workloads like LLM inference and training. And Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.*
- MACOS RUNS APPS FAST — All your go-to apps run lightning fast in macOS, including built-in apps like FaceTime and Messages. Plus, built-in virus protection and free software updates help keep your Mac running smoothly and securely.
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