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iMessage is a huge deal

H

Honza

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 22, 2011
93
24
SF Bay Area
When iMessage came out in iOS 5, I remember thinking that it wasn't that big of a deal, especially if you had unlimited text messaging. Now I understand how smart Apple is by coming up with iMessage.

My wife dropped her iPhone in water and to save money, we got her an Android phone - all she wants to do is to send pictures and videos amongst her family members. I realize now that since she doesn't have iMessage, any video she gets from family members is going to look awful and blurry. The way that iMessage is seamlessly integrated with the regular texting app is such a huge deal. It's pretty much impossible to convince a group of people (including 50+ year olds) to use a separate service to text message (because they don't understand MMS limits). To my wife (and the ordinary user) it is unfathomable that you can't send decent video through texting, probably because "it just worked" with her iPhone. For me, I know that if I need to send a video to someone, I'll use email or a specific app that I know the person will have, etc. But when you get people used to the that the regular messaging app will do it all, it's hard to convince them to have anything else.

Very smart, Apple.
 
U

unlimitedx

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2010
635
0
I felt iMessage was a big deal when it first came out. It led to carriers phasing out limited texting and pushed users to pay for unlimited texting or pay per text
 
Beeplance

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
In my country, whatsapp is more popular than any other messaging service, including imessage.

Just a trend, I suppose.
 
M

marc11

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2011
1,618
4
NY USA
Beeplance said:
In my country, whatsapp is more popular than any other messaging service, including imessage.

Just a trend, I suppose.
Click to expand...

What's app is huge here too. Imessage is great apple to apple but what's app is cross platform that is a huge deal when chatting with him apple users.
 
S

Subu

macrumors regular
Jan 10, 2013
247
6
Beeplance said:
In my country, whatsapp is more popular than any other messaging service, including imessage.

Just a trend, I suppose.
Click to expand...

Agree

Still I feel iMessage is a huge deal but very under marketed by apple

Look how bb made a fuss of bbm
 
M

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
I totally agree. It has allowed my mom and some other older relatives to use texting without getting hit per text or spending $5 per month like I do.

I'm also in agreement with the person who said apps like iMessage have pushed the carriers into making text messaging "free." In reality, the carriers have just jacked up prices and thrown in unlimited of the cheap stuff -- voice, text.
 
B

barkomatic

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2008
4,521
2,826
Manhattan
unlimitedx said:
I felt iMessage was a big deal when it first came out. It led to carriers phasing out limited texting and pushed users to pay for unlimited texting or pay per text
Click to expand...

I was thinking about getting unlimited texting until iMessage came out and I realized that two thirds of my friends and family have iPhones. I stuck with my 1500/$15 plan and should have downgraded to the 1000/$10 plan when I had the chance.
 
R

rsnapeuk

macrumors regular
Oct 19, 2011
221
6
I started looking at alternative devices with the likes of Android and Windows phones/tablets - and when I actually thought about one of the core features I require of a smartphone - iMessage plays a major factor.

If I'm honest I don't really use many applications on my iPhone 5 - its more of a bridge between my iPad and Macbook when I'm on the move.

The ability to pick up a message where you left off is an excellent feature - and I find it so much easier to converse with people with iMessage.
 
bohbot16

bohbot16

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2009
674
10
iMessage is indeed brilliant in the fact that you don't have to be aware of it to use it. This has the effect of making iMessage much more useful for each existing iPhone owner as more are added.

It's a network phenomenon named Metcalfe's Law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalfe's_law
 
Last edited:
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,451
1,240
Charlotte, NC
It's also useful in the fact that it allows me to send messages in areas where Verizon has poor or no service by using wifi.
 
B

Bahroo

macrumors 68000
Jul 21, 2012
1,860
2
Honza said:
When iMessage came out in iOS 5, I remember thinking that it wasn't that big of a deal, especially if you had unlimited text messaging. Now I understand how smart Apple is by coming up with iMessage.

My wife dropped her iPhone in water and to save money, we got her an Android phone - all she wants to do is to send pictures and videos amongst her family members. I realize now that since she doesn't have iMessage, any video she gets from family members is going to look awful and blurry. The way that iMessage is seamlessly integrated with the regular texting app is such a huge deal. It's pretty much impossible to convince a group of people (including 50+ year olds) to use a separate service to text message (because they don't understand MMS limits). To my wife (and the ordinary user) it is unfathomable that you can't send decent video through texting, probably because "it just worked" with her iPhone. For me, I know that if I need to send a video to someone, I'll use email or a specific app that I know the person will have, etc. But when you get people used to the that the regular messaging app will do it all, it's hard to convince them to have anything else.

Very smart, Apple.
Click to expand...

I really like iMessages alot, im always having group chats with my friends who have iMessage and im always sending videos and pictures and your right its impossible to send videos and other things over text messages. iMessage is really a underrated feature imo and its one extreme advantage of iOS over Android

----------
Subu said:
Agree

Still I feel iMessage is a huge deal but very under marketed by apple

Look how bb made a fuss of bbm
Click to expand...

Yeah thats actually how I feel, iMessage is so well built in and intergrated seamlessly its amazing, its actually quite astonishing that Android doesnt have a iMessage equivalent in its core system. You would think Google would want to merge there services together better
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
WhatsApp or Viber is better than iMessage because it is cross platform.
 
bohbot16

bohbot16

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2009
674
10
Bahroo said:
Yeah thats actually how I feel, iMessage is so well built in and intergrated seamlessly its amazing, its actually quite astonishing that Android doesnt have a iMessage equivalent in its core system. You would think Google would want to merge there services together better
Click to expand...

It's really a missed opportunity that Google didn't integrate Android's texting app with Google Talk, considering the popularity of the IM service. Then again, I wouldn't have realized to merge IM and SMS into a single interface either.
 
ucfgrad93

ucfgrad93

macrumors Core
Aug 17, 2007
19,535
10,821
Colorado
I didn't think it was a big deal when it came out either. But now I really like it. I get annoyed when I text my wife and it doesn't go via iMessage but a normal text.
 
TacticalDesire

TacticalDesire

macrumors 68020
Mar 19, 2012
2,286
23
Michigan
I message is great indeed. I use it all the time and while I don't think it's anything to get a hard on for, it has its benefits
 
iceterminal

iceterminal

macrumors 68000
May 25, 2008
1,870
27
Dallas Tx.
Great thing about iMessage is its automatic. You use the same texting app for iMessage as well as standard messaging. It detects which to use. So this feature is very nice the average user.

Using whatsapp is also nice as its cross platform. But your average user isn't going to install a separate app and use it. Again, we're talking about your average user.
Most of us here are not average.....or normal. ;)
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
iceterminal said:
Using whatsapp is also nice as its cross platform. But your average user isn't going to install a separate app and use it. Again, we're talking about your average user.
Click to expand...

You'll find the average user does install WhatsApp. Take a look at where it is in the App Store rankings.
 
6

617aircav

Suspended
Jul 2, 2012
3,975
818
It's a huge deal if your friends and family members use an ios product. If they dont, not really.
 
iceterminal

iceterminal

macrumors 68000
May 25, 2008
1,870
27
Dallas Tx.
Kilamite said:
You'll find the average user does install WhatsApp. Take a look at where it is in the App Store rankings.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Your younger crowd might, but they aren't average as they're born into the technology age. Thus they are more technical as a matter of default. While this does not disclude them from the term "average" it does show that the majority of them are more savy than the average user. In which terms would preclude them.
I can honestly say of all the persons I know that have whatsapp, 99% of them are under 23 years old.
 
Prime85

Prime85

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2012
652
0
iMessage let's me send and receive texts from my Mac and iPhone which is very convenient. Whatsapp cannot do that!
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
iceterminal said:
I disagree. Your younger crowd might, but they aren't average as they're born into the technology age. Thus they are more technical as a matter of default. While this does not disclude them from the term "average" it does show that the majority of them are more savy than the average user. In which terms would preclude them.
I can honestly say of all the persons I know that have whatsapp, 99% of them are under 23 years old.
Click to expand...

So are you saying that downloading an application onto an iPhone something folk only 23 years or younger do?

Next thing you'll be telling me the older generations don't know what Twitter is!
 
S

Subu

macrumors regular
Jan 10, 2013
247
6
Kilamite said:
You'll find the average user does install WhatsApp. Take a look at where it is in the App Store rankings.
Click to expand...

IMHO what's app is so popular because people including many iphone users do not knapp how good iMessage is
 
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