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HUGE flaw in iMessage

neiltc13

neiltc13

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 27, 2006
3,126
19
Someone has probably reported this already, but I've found what I think is a dealbreaker for me using iMessage on my iPhone 4.

One of my friends upgraded to iOS5 and then got an Android phone. However, when he got rid of his iPhone he didn't remove his phone number from his Apple ID for iMessage. This means that when I (or anyone else with an iPhone running iOS5) try to message him, my phone chooses to send the messages by iMessage, despite him no longer having a phone capable of receiving the messages.

I can't disable iMessage on a per-contact basis, so I can either disable iMessage completely for all of my contacts, or choose not to send him any more messages.

Has anyone else encountered this issue, and is there a way to remove your phone number from your Apple ID so that people aren't sending you messages you can't receive?
 
Last edited:
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
For once the thread title is actually spot on. There should be some way to alert a sender that the iMessage cannot be delivered. Were you showing the messages as delivered regardless? Since you were sending to an e-mail address and not phone number I wonder if they show as delivered. Short of the recipient receiving an e-mail with the iMessage, showing "delivered" we be wrong.
 
B

blevins321

macrumors 68030
Dec 24, 2010
2,768
96
Detroit, MI
I don't have someone I can test this on, but wouldn't the phone revert to SMS after a set time period if the iMessage couldn't be delivered? I know it isn't ideal, because it would delay the message, but it could be a stopgap until Apple fixes it?
 
bigjnyc

bigjnyc

macrumors 604
Apr 10, 2008
7,851
6,719
Shouldn't it automatically detect that the message cannot go as iMessage and automatically revert to regular SMS? I thought that was the whole logic behind iMessage... That the user should not have to get involved. For example if a user is out of data range but has cellular coverage the iMessage automatically goes out as an SMS..... If Apple dropped the ball on this I'm sure there will be an update to patch this flaw.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
blevins321 said:
I don't have someone I can test this on, but wouldn't the phone revert to SMS after a set time period if the iMessage couldn't be delivered? I know it isn't ideal, because it would delay the message, but it could be a stopgap until Apple fixes it?
Click to expand...

SMS cannot be sent if the iMessage was sent to someone's e-mail. If they do send the iMessage to someone's e-mail then either they should send an actual e-mail (it would be a default action that you as the sender doesn't have to manage) or they bounce the message back. Telling me I sent an iMessage to joe@mac.com and saying it's delivered when it wasn't isn't my idea of a good system. I want them to say "user unable to receive imessages" or "delivered" and Joe gets an e-mail.
 
neiltc13

neiltc13

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 27, 2006
3,126
19
I didn't choose what to send the message by though - my contact has both an email address and a phone number registered in my address book and I have no idea if that email address matches his Apple ID.
 
E

edk99

macrumors 6502a
May 27, 2009
859
1,409
FL
I would imagine if he sent *you* an SMS then it would fix itself for that contact you have because it came in as an SMS and not an iMessage. Therefore switching back to SMS from iMessage. So next time you send him a text it should go SMS.
 
G

GraphicsGeek

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2008
533
0
Your friend needs to disassociate his number from his iMessage ID. You also need to send your SMS to his number and not his email address. iMessage is set up on a device basis so if he properly erased his iPhone, his number shouldnt be associated with his iPhone anymore.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
^ but what happens if you send an iMessage to someone's e-mail address who doesn't have an iPhone or any iOS device?
 
O

outphase

macrumors 65816
Jun 13, 2009
1,291
32
Parts Unknown
A friend of mine used iOS 5 during the beta and downgraded back to 4.3.3. After 3 failed iMessage attempts, SMS became the default again.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
outphase said:
A friend of mine used iOS 5 during the beta and downgraded back to 4.3.3. After 3 failed iMessage attempts, SMS became the default again.
Click to expand...

Read the OP. He is using an e-mail address.
Now, unless you can use a standard e-mail address to send an SMS, this is just irrelevant.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
jessica. said:
Read the OP. He is using an e-mail address.
Now, unless you can use a standard e-mail address to send an SMS, this is just irrelevant.
Click to expand...

For the OP, what happens if you (I would test this but I don't think I have anyone on iOS 5 to text! :eek: ) go to their phone number in Contacts and click the send a text message (or whatever it says now) button? Does it give you an option to pick the intended destination? And does it send an iMessage anyways?
 
Hustler

Hustler

macrumors 6502
May 31, 2010
410
57
to the above post, I tried going into my contact with someone I knew with ios5 and it says "send message". It then brings up a window that says "text message" at the top, with 2 bubbles underneath. One is a phone number, one is an email. No matter which I select, it defaults to iMessage.
This is annoying.
Brad
 
neiltc13

neiltc13

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 27, 2006
3,126
19
Yes the same thing happens to me. iMessage is chosen and I can't send an SMS to him unless I turn off iMessage completely.
 
pcunite

pcunite

macrumors member
Nov 26, 2010
97
2
iMessage logic is flawed, when I'm on a wifi connection it chooses to send an iMessage to my wife's phone ... which is fine when she's on wifi too ... but when she has her data turned off it delays every message by 5 minutes!
 
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bob616

macrumors 6502
Jul 12, 2008
277
0
You can remove iMessage from that person's contact by:

1. Creating a new message
2. Type the person's name in
3. Press and hold on the blue bubble of their name
4. Select the option to remove there name from your iPhone's stored iMessage database.
 
owine

owine

macrumors regular
Oct 29, 2008
101
66
Having a similar problem. Disconnected my old iPhone 4 and moved the number to Google Voice, but the number is still registered in iMessage with no way to unregister it. Spoke with tier 1 and 2 at AppleCare yesterday and am supposed to hear back after an engineer analyzes the issue. Not getting my hopes up though. Should have disabled iMessage before I erased the phone and transferred the number. Oh well.
 
V

vebs

macrumors regular
Jun 24, 2010
110
0
Leicester, UK
bob616 said:
You can remove iMessage from that person's contact by:

1. Creating a new message
2. Type the person's name in
3. Press and hold on the blue bubble of their name
4. Select the option to remove there name from your iPhone's stored iMessage database.
Click to expand...

I don't get this option, screenshot of what you mean please? :confused:
 
D

d0ster

macrumors regular
May 3, 2011
100
0
Have you tried deleting the conversation with your friend then going back and tryto send him a SMS thru your address book?
 
N

n4uaj

macrumors member
Feb 4, 2011
89
46
When my son sends a message on his iPad I get the blue iMessage. If he uses his Droid I get the green SMS. I think the only way to make sure he gets one that I send is to send one to the SMS phone # and a copy to the .mac address If I understand this thing correctly, when he upgrades to an iPhone an I msg him from mine he may receive it on both his iPad and iPhone.
 
L

LIVEFRMNYC

macrumors G3
Oct 27, 2009
8,778
10,844
The "HUGE flaw in iMessage" was Apple thinking that everyone would be smart enough to use it correctly.
 
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