RCS Update Adds Native Video Calling and Text Formatting

Now that RCS messaging is functional between Android and iPhone, it has become a more essential communication tool for a broad audience. The GSMA has just released the next major version of the RCS Universal Profile, announcing Universal Profile 4.0 with several significant additions that expand RCS capabilities, most notably native video calling support.

The GSMA, the standards organization responsible for RCS, has unveiled Universal Profile 4.0 as the foundation for upcoming RCS features. This update introduces three key advancements designed to make RCS conversations richer, more flexible, and better suited to modern messaging needs. The changes focus on integrating real-time video, enhancing text formatting, and improving multimedia and business messaging experiences.

The headline feature in Universal Profile 4.0 is support for video calls initiated directly from a messaging conversation. This feature, referred to as Message‑Initiated Video Calls (MIVC), allows users to launch a video session from within a one‑to‑one or group RCS conversation. Video calls would appear inside the chat thread so participants can start or join two‑way video interactions without leaving the messaging interface. For group conversations, MIVC enables a seamless transition from text to a shared video space where members can join an ongoing call even if they were unable to accept it at the start. The logs for these sessions would be synchronized with the chat timeline, preserving context and continuity so the conversation history remains coherent across text and video interactions.

Messaging‑Initiated Video Calls (MIVC) let users escalate any RCS one‑to‑one or group messaging session into a live video call. This feature offers a natural, integrated path from text messaging to real‑time video interaction, keeping conversation continuity by allowing group members to join an ongoing call and by synchronizing call details in the chat timeline. When implemented, MIVC will provide the first natively supported, interoperable video calling experience across a wide range of devices and networks.

In addition to video calling, Universal Profile 4.0 brings improved text formatting to RCS messages. The new standard supports inline styles such as bold, italics, and strikethrough, enabling clearer emphasis, richer message structure, and better readability. These text enhancements align with other modern messaging platforms by allowing users to format content in ways that improve communication clarity and tone.

The update also advances media handling by enabling devices to identify the media formats supported by their conversation partners. That capability should deliver higher quality audio, video, and images during RCS interactions because endpoints can negotiate and select the best compatible formats. In practice, this means fewer mismatched files, better playback quality, and a more consistent multimedia experience across different phones and networks.

For business messaging, Universal Profile 4.0 expands capabilities to support embedded streaming video and offers greater control over how links are handled. Businesses will be able to embed live or pre-recorded video content directly into message threads, making promotional, transactional, or support interactions more dynamic. In addition, the profile specifies options for launching links either within the messaging app itself or by delegating to a separate dedicated app or web browser, giving businesses and developers more control over user journeys while maintaining the conversation context.

Adoption of Universal Profile 4.0 features will depend on device manufacturers, carrier support, and client app implementations, so widespread availability may take time. Past updates show a similar rollout pattern: for example, Universal Profile 3.0 introduced native end‑to‑end encryption, but broad implementation across platforms and operating systems has progressed gradually, highlighting the coordination needed between vendors to deliver new RCS capabilities to end users.

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