According to Android Authority, Google Messages is beginning to offer text editing when messaging iPhone users - a capability previously limited to Android-to-Android threads.

The feature, powered by the new Universal Profile 3.0 RCS standard, lets users long-press a sent message within 15 minutes to edit and resend it.

Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman noted: “After sending a message, I can long‑press it to reveal a pencil icon … tap this icon, edit the message and resend it.” 

Cross-platform editing was impossible previously because Apple’s early RCS support was based on Version 2.4, which didn’t allow edits.

With Universal Profile 3.0 - which also introduces end-to-end encryption - Google can now enable editable messages between Android and iOS devices.

However, edited texts appear differently: Android users see the updated message, while iPhone recipients receive a new message marked with an asterisk. iPhone users still cannot edit messages they send to Android phones.

The feature is said to be in limited beta testing and not yet widely available. Broader rollout depends on both Google and Apple adopting Universal Profile 3.0 fully - and Apple may need to update iOS messaging to support proper editing.

Google and Apple have committed to cross-platform encryption and RCS standards, setting the stage for more messaging parity.