Explaining the impact of Apple iOS 18 for Email and SMS

Apple iOS 18 Overview

iOS 18 introduces important updates that directly impact how you connect with your subscribers through SMS, RCS, and email. With this release, you now have access to Rich Communication Services (RCS) support, smarter Apple Mail features like inbox categorization and AI-powered email summaries, and updates to how push notifications are handled.

These changes create new opportunities for you to deliver personalized, relevant, and engaging content, making it easier to capture attention, build trust, and strengthen your relationships with subscribers.

RCS Support and the Arrival of RCS Business Messaging (RBM)

iOS 18 brings native support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), allowing you to send interactive, media-rich messages to iOS and Android users alikeRCS Business Messaging (RBM) will soon follow, giving you the ability to engage customers with features like branded messages, in-message buttons, carousels, QR codes, and more, without requiring app downloads or external links. Yotpo has native RCS functionality enabling your brand to send RCS messages after going through a registration process.

Read our articles on RCS:

• Creating an RCS Message

• Registering for RCS Messaging

Smarter Apple Mail with Inbox Categorization

Apple Mail will categorize messages into tabs, Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions, based on subscriber engagement and content type. This change is designed to optimize the user experience for subscribers by organizing emails into relevant categories. Recommended Actions:

• Set up Branded Mail in Apple Business Connect to display your brand’s logo in the inbox and make it easier for subscribers to recognize your brand.

• Prioritize content that’s informative, valuable, and interactive, such as quizzes or newsletters.

• Segment your audience by engagement level and reduce sends to inactive subscribers to protect deliverability. Consider using a sunset flow to phase out sending to highly unengaged subscribers.

• Send more frequently to highly engaged subscribers and less to lower engagement segments.

Email Digest View and Message Grouping

Emails grouped under the Transactions, Updates, and Promotions tabs will now display only your sender name and the two most recent subject lines. Clicking opens a Digest View showing snippets of past emails. This makes your sender name, subject lines, and opening copy more critical than ever.

Recommended Actions:

• Use a consistent sender name and email address that reflects your brand.

• Write subject lines that make sense on their own and catch attention.

• Craft the first few lines of your emails carefully, as preview text may not always show.

• Use Apple’s Branded Mail and BIMI to display your logo and increase recognition.

Email Summaries Powered by Apple Intelligence

For Apple Mail users on newer iPhone models, Apple Intelligence can automatically summarize incoming emails using your content, preview text, alt text, and the subscriber’s engagement history. If your summary isn’t compelling, users may skip reading the full message.

Recommended Actions:

• Focus on clear, concise messaging that delivers your core value quickly.

• Use structured content that’s easy to understand without relying on preview text.

• Ensure your alt text on images supports your message, especially if images don’t load.

• Test your emails on Apple devices to see how summaries may be displayed.

Summarized and Prioritized Push Notifications

Push notifications may now appear as summaries when collapsed, and Apple will prioritize which ones show based on how users interact with them. If your notifications aren’t timely or personalized, they may lose visibility.