Anyone notice that you can use iMessage on iPhone w/o a SIM card?

[moosquared]

I sold my iPhone 4 on eBay a few weeks ago, so obviously, I have to go back to my old Blackberry. I didn't restore the iPhone immediately, so while waiting for someone to buy it, I was using the phone as an iPod touch. I turned on wi-fi and surprise, surprise! I received a text message from my fellow iPhone user and I can reply back as well. On my iPhone screen, it showed that the message is sent/received an iMessage (blue bubble). I can even see the "delivered" sign or when my friend was typing a reply. But on my friend's iPhone, it showed message was sent/received as regular text messages (green screen).

Meanwhile, I don't receive the text message on my BB even though it's fully functional. I have to turn-off the wifi on the iPhone and then I'll receive a text message on my BB. It only happens if the person texting you is using an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch user with iOS 5 as well.

Whatsapp works too with the SIM card removed.

 

[B777Forevar]

iMessage works w/o a sim due to wifi like the iPod touch

A iPhone 4 w/o a sim is basically like a glorified iPod touch.

 

[SporkLover]

iMessage works w/o a sim due to wifi like the iPod touch

A iPhone 4 w/o a sim is basically like a glorified iPod touch.

X2. It uses your data connection whether it be the Cellular radio or Wifi.

 

[Jordan921]

This shouldn't be a surprise seeing as iMessage is also connected to your email.

 

[Irock619]

It works across all iOS 5 devices, sim card or not.

 

[scaredpoet]

Not sure why your friend was getting the "green screen" (standard SMS delivery) when sending messages to you, but basically an iOS device that has successfully delivered an iMessage to you in the past will try that again every time a text message is sent to you from it. If that path is open, it'll send that way. If not, it'll revert back to standard SMS.

iMessage doesn't need the cellular network to run, it just feds an internet connection. So even with a deactivated SIM (or no SIM at all), iMessages will still get delivered as long as there is a working WiFi connection.

This is why when you turned off the iPhone's WiFi, you would get your texts on your blackberry. With the iPhone's WiFi off, the iMessage channel isn't open anymore.

Isn't this how BBM works as well? It's pretty much the same principle.

Anyway, before you ship your iPhone to whoever buys it from you, do a complete wipe of the data and settings and send it to them blank. The wipe should remove your iMessage (and all other) account settings from the phone and permanently remove that path, allowing you to get your messages full time on your BlackBerry.

Whatsapp works too with the SIM card removed.

Same principle: Whatsapp doesn't need the cell network. Any internet connection will do.