Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

A possible solution for the iMessage iPhone to android issue

A

Apple blogger

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 28, 2013
894
179
This issue is pretty scary.. People shifting from iPhone to android cannot receive SMS because it sends as an iMessage ... This is because the user did not turn off iMessage on his previous iPhone..
After searching on the internet, I found this happens because when we send a message, it's first priority is sending it as iMessage and when that's not there, it sends a text.. And iMessage is integrated with the message app.. It automatically sends it..

So the engineering team who is looking to fix this issue will have to fight with simplicity as well as how to get rid if this ..

Well as an apple fan, I've given it a fair amount if thought (someone might say let the engeeneering team solve it and you don't waste your time) .. If it's helping others why not put a thought to it..

Apple cannot bring out a new iMessage app, as it will not stay integrated with the message app..

So if the team could somehow separate the iMessage from the text messages, but still integrating them in one app then it would solve it

So, When u open the message app, there should be 2 buttons on the bottom, one which says iMessage, and one which says SMS.
If u want to send an iMessage to a person, you click on iMessage button, and select or search a contact, like you normally do, but this time, the search will show only people with iMessage. If you want to send a text message, you select the SMS option and then send it as a text..

In this way, Apple can keep iMessage integrated with messages and even resolve the issue.

Messaging apps like whatsapp and BBM have a separate directory of the numbers which use it.. So if you don't use whatsapp or BBM, you can't send it ..
Apple could separate the directory for iMessage, thus resolving the issue..
Currently there is an option to switch iMessage on.. with my solution, they could just remove the toggle, and making it default.. Only giving other options like which address to receive and the other standard options ...
They could turn off iMessage automatically for a number if a SIM card is removed, and thus deleting the Number, which can be used to "send and receive" thus giving only 1 address to send and receive, which is your Apple ID ..So if there is no SIM card, you cannot send or receive an iMessage from/on that number, but can send it only to the Apple ID.. And if there is a SIM card, iMessage will allow you to add a number to send send and receive...

It's a good solution and is integrated with the current message app.. And if the user forgets to switch iMessage off, it's not a problem, that's because the moment u remove your SIM card, the number on which to send and received would be removed..

Well if any apple employee, is reading this, it would be nice if you thought about it..
 
Last edited:
Excuse me as my understanding of this issue is patchy, but isn't part of the problem that iMessages are sometimes still getting marked as delivered when they're not? Obviously that needs to improve. Here's my idea, point out problems!

If a message has been sent to apple's servers but not delivered within a few minutes, if the sender has send as SMS enabled it should try resending as an SMS and delete the iMessage from their server if the SMS is successful.

If the sender doesn't have send as SMS enabled they should get a notification saying delivery failed and asking if they want to send as SMS or wait.

If apple has been unable to deliver iMessage for a few days/a week, it should disable iMessage for the recipient number. That user should get a notification telling them of this.
 
For some very odd reason it always works perfectly in my testing ...

iphone - enabled phone number + 2 email address
ipad/imac - same as above

For testing, I put all my 'I' devices in Airplane mode or Off .. wait some time and then using my wife's iphone try to send iMessage .. it tries and goes blue but doesnt say "Delivered" at bottom ... after few seconds, it turns green and re-sends the same sms as normal (I have that enabled in options)

i re-enable all my devices back onto network and wait few seconds ... try sending sms from wife's phone ... just wait a few seconds on the message input area (which is green because it remembers previous status) and it turns blue

Send iMessage and comes through fine

I think there is backend logic for some very peculiar situations which is screwing with iMessage and Apple engineers would be in best position to resolve it
 
snappyfool said:
Excuse me as my understanding of this issue is patchy, but isn't part of the problem that iMessages are sometimes still getting marked as delivered when they're not? Obviously that needs to improve. Here's my idea, point out problems!

If a message has been sent to apple's servers but not delivered within a few minutes, if the sender has send as SMS enabled it should try resending as an SMS and delete the iMessage from their server if the SMS is successful.

If the sender doesn't have send as SMS enabled they should get a notification saying delivery failed and asking if they want to send as SMS or wait.

If apple has been unable to deliver iMessage for a few days/a week, it should disable iMessage for the recipient number. That user should get a notification telling them of this.
Click to expand...
Actually what you are saying is correct .. The issue here, is that sometimes ppl sell their phones, which are switched off, so when u send the message it says delivered, but not read, when that old phone might go into wifi it may get the message.. Exactly I'm not sure I am right on this one.. But it should work exactly as u said..

----------
SanjeevRana said:
For some very odd reason it always works perfectly in my testing ...

iphone - enabled phone number + 2 email address
ipad/imac - same as above

For testing, I put all my 'I' devices in Airplane mode or Off .. wait some time and then using my wife's iphone try to send iMessage .. it tries and goes blue but doesnt say "Delivered" at bottom ... after few seconds, it turns green and re-sends the same sms as normal (I have that enabled in options)

i re-enable all my devices back onto network and wait few seconds ... try sending sms from wife's phone ... just wait a few seconds on the message input area (which is green because it remembers previous status) and it turns blue

Send iMessage and comes through fine

I think there is backend logic for some very peculiar situations which is screwing with iMessage and Apple engineers would be in best position to resolve it
Click to expand...

Do you have an android phone?? If you do please switch your sim and try it with that(switch off ur old iphone).. Ppl are facing the problem that the messages don't come on the android phone.. If the issue doesn't happen with you .. Then it's those ppls bad luck
 
OP, I'm sorry but that's an absolutely horrendous idea and completely unnecessary. It would completely destroy the simplicity which is the whole point of iMessage and the messages app. It's nuts.

All that needs to happen here is better checking on the phone's side that the recipient of a text being sent is actually still registered with iMessage (presumably coming in 7.1.2) and an easy opt out form on the server side so that users who have ditched iMessage and moved to android or whatever can hit a button in icloud that completely removes their number from the system. Simple.
 
Apple wouldn't go for the idea in the OP mainly because that's the type of thing they want to stay away from with iMessage--they specifically wanted it be integrated with regular Messaging so that the user doesn't even think twice about it. That's all fine and good, it's just that they need a better more accurate and up-to-date way to figure out who is actually capable of receiving iMessages and who isn't, as that's basically the main problem with all of that.

----------
Armen said:
Apple is fixing this with 7.1.2

/End of Thread.
Click to expand...
We (and that's including various tech sites/personalities) perhaps hope that's the case, but I don't believe anyone actually really knows what's in iOS 7.1.2 until possibly Apple themselves either actually releases it or comes out with some actual information about it.
 
C DM said:
Apple wouldn't go for the idea in the OP mainly because that's the type of thing they want to stay away from with iMessage--they specifically wanted it be integrated with regular Messaging so that the user doesn't even think twice about it. That's all fine and good, it's just that they need a better more accurate and up-to-date way to figure out who is actually capable of receiving iMessages and who isn't, as that's basically the main problem with all of that.

----------

We (and that's including various tech sites/personalities) perhaps hope that's the case, but I don't believe anyone actually really knows what's in iOS 7.1.2 until possibly Apple themselves either actually releases it or comes out with some actual information about it.
Click to expand...

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/mobile/apple-promises-imessage-purgatory-bug-fix-n112086

Now unless their "bug fix" is server side we will be seeing it in 7.1.2 most likely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back