Can others tell I'm on an iPhone?

[delia84]

Hi,

I've been an exclusive Android user but I'm really tempted to dip my toe in the iPhone pool. My thing is that I have a few people that I don't want to be able to facetime me (or even know I'm using an iPhone). Are you able to turn that off so the icon isn't highlighted when they look you up in their contacts? I also don't want to use iMessage, can that be turned off?

My brother recently switched to an iPhone and people he'd been texting imminently knew he'd switched because the bubble turned to a different color. He hadn't mentioned it to these people.

I want my contact info to not show that I'm on an iPhone, is this at all possible?

 

[mthomas184]

Hi,

I've been an exclusive Android user but I'm really tempted to dip my toe in the iPhone pool. My thing is that I have a few people that I don't want to be able to facetime me (or even know I'm using an iPhone). Are you able to turn that off so the icon isn't highlighted when they look you up in their contacts? I also don't want to use iMessage, can that be turned off?

My brother recently switched to an iPhone and people he'd been texting imminently knew he'd switched because the bubble turned to a different color. He hadn't mentioned it to these people.

I want my contact info to not show that I'm on an iPhone, is this at all possible?

Facetime and iMessage can be turned off.

 

[eyoungren]

Hi,

I've been an exclusive Android user but I'm really tempted to dip my toe in the iPhone pool. My thing is that I have a few people that I don't want to be able to facetime me (or even know I'm using an iPhone). Are you able to turn that off so the icon isn't highlighted when they look you up in their contacts? I also don't want to use iMessage, can that be turned off?

My brother recently switched to an iPhone and people he'd been texting imminently knew he'd switched because the bubble turned to a different color. He hadn't mentioned it to these people.

I want my contact info to not show that I'm on an iPhone, is this at all possible?

Facetime and iMessage can be turned off.

You can avoid Facetime and iMessage by the simple expedient of never logging in. Both services use your Apple ID and both require you to login before they can be used. Simply don't.

You can login to use the App store seperately.
[doublepost=1487183405][/doublepost]

 

[delia84]

You can avoid Facetime and iMessage by the simple expedient of never logging in. Both services use your Apple ID and both require you to login before they can be used. Simply don't.

You can login to use the App store seperately.
[doublepost=1487183405][/doublepost]
OP is going by her brother's experience. She doesn't want to be put in the awkard position of having to explain in person to someone why she didn't respond to an iMessage or answer their FT call.

Doesn't bother you. Does bother her.

So blocking certain people on both things isn't available?

 

[eyoungren]

So blocking certain people on both things isn't available?

You can block people. I answered your question the way I did because it was phrased (to me) as if you didn't want to use those services at all.

But if you do but want to block certain people then all you have to do is block their number by pressing on it and then selecting "Block contact". You will receive no further notice that they are communicating with you.

 

[C DM]

Can FaceTime and iMessage not be used at all or at least disabled? - The answer is yes to both.

Can people be blocked? - The answer is also yes (the blocking will affect not just FaceTime and iMessage but also calls and regular texts as well).

 

[tippytap90]

'I don't want people FaceTiming me'

Sounds like a man after my own heart.

 

[Applejuiced]

Imessage doesnt need you to log in.
It can just use your current phone number. But like said above you dont have to enable either Facetime or iMessage.
But you are crippling yourself because both are very good options to have available.
I love iMessage and the options it has available its 100 times better than regular text messages.
I wouldnt lose out on Facetime and iMessage options because of a few individuals.

 

[Zaft]

imessage and facetime are two key features of IOS, your kind of limiting your experience by not using them.

But yes they can be disabled as others have said.

 

[daynoock]

imessage and facetime are two key features of IOS, your kind of limiting your experience by not using them.

But yes they can be disabled as others have said.

They're good if you know people with iOS devices, but if most people you know are android users then you're not missing out.

I know people who are worried about data use so have iMessage off because of that

 

[Zaft]

They're good if you know people with iOS devices, but if most people you know are android users then you're not missing out.

I know people who are worried about data use so have iMessage off because of that

Thats so pointless, imessage uses almost nothing compared to other services.

 

[daynoock]

Thats so pointless, imessage uses almost nothing compared to other services.

I agree, there's just no convincing some people

 

[Applejuiced]

They're good if you know people with iOS devices, but if most people you know are android users then you're not missing out.

I know people who are worried about data use so have iMessage off because of that

There's lots of iphone users out there, why have that option disabled? You are missing out on great features and you can also let everyone know you're using an iphone. Either way the system will automaticly send texts and mms as imessages since it autodetects it.
Nowadays not many people are worried about data use. An imessage will not use much more data than a regular text message or a picture you will send via facebook messenger, snapchat, instagram etc....
The OP should look forward and not go backwards IMO.

 

[bigjnyc]

If you're not going to use imessage might as well stay on Android, its probably the best thing iOS has over Android... facetime not so much, but you should really re-consider about imessage

 

[C DM]

If you're not going to use imessage might as well stay on Android, its probably the best thing iOS has over Android... facetime not so much, but you should really re-consider about imessage

Well, while those are some useful features there's plenty more to what can make an iPhone and/or iOS useful or better in one way or another for someone. But that's kind of neither here nor there as far as what OP was really asking about.

 

[Bart Kela]

Be very wary of social media networks if you are trying to conceal that you are using an iPhone.

Twitter is the most notorious one. When you tweet, data about what app you are using is transmitted to Twitter. The official Twitter iOS app does not show this information in each tweet, nor does Twitterific, however Tweetbot, Tweetdeck and Twittelator are three apps that disclose which app was used to post a tweet (like "Twitter for iPhone"). Some celebrities who are paid spokespeople for non-Apple smartphone companies (e.g., Samsung) have tweeted from iPhones and been caught; the most embarrassing cases are when the tweet is promoting the competitor's hardware.

One errant post and many of your family, friends, and other associates will know that you have switched handset manufacturers.

I do not use Facebook so I do not know how that service handles app disclosure.

Just something to think about if you decide to switch to the iPhone.

 

[bufffilm]

The OP's request is novel to me.

As said by others, you can do it, but better to just come clean with all in your circle. Are they really going to judge you for it?

I doubt it will matter after a period of time.
Might even pull a few to your side later on.

Again...novel to me. Takes all kinds...

 

[Applejuiced]

The OP's request is novel to me.

As said by others, you can do it, but better to just come clean with all in your circle. Are they really going to judge you for it?

I doubt it will matter after a period of time.
Might even pull a few to your side later on.

Again...novel to me. Takes all kinds...

They're going to boycott him

 

[timeconsumer]

Hi,

I've been an exclusive Android user but I'm really tempted to dip my toe in the iPhone pool. My thing is that I have a few people that I don't want to be able to facetime me (or even know I'm using an iPhone). Are you able to turn that off so the icon isn't highlighted when they look you up in their contacts? I also don't want to use iMessage, can that be turned off?

My brother recently switched to an iPhone and people he'd been texting imminently knew he'd switched because the bubble turned to a different color. He hadn't mentioned it to these people.

I want my contact info to not show that I'm on an iPhone, is this at all possible?

It's quite simple to determine if somebody has an iPhone as you already noted due to the green or blue bubble in the Messages app. However, you don't even have to send a message to determine if somebody has an iPhone. Just open a new message with any phone number and you can see if it will send as an iMessage or as a SMS without even having to send the message at all. If it can send as an iMessage then you know they have an iPhone, or if it's SMS they either have iMessage disabled or they do not have an iPhone.

Unfortunately it's kind of an all or nothing setting. You cannot choose which contacts to use iMessage with and others to use SMS with if they are iPhone users with iMessage enabled themselves. As others suggested you could block those users from sending you messages altogether, but then you'd never know if they sent you a message. I'm assuming that you still want them to be able to message you, you would just prefer that it goes through as an SMS and not an iMessage.

Since you didn't mention the exact reason other than you don't want them to know, I'm speculating that perhaps you don't want them to know you have an iPhone so they won't spam you with the iOS 10 messaging effects. If that is the case, you can always mute conversations with them as per: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201287 so you won't be notified when they send you a message but it will still go through and it will appear to the other person that you received it as it should say "Delivered" on their side.

 

[Channan]

Just don't answer if/when they call.

 

[elf69]

I have imessage off and facetime off in my iphone.

I use it on my macbook and imac though.

It is on in my ipad.

but agree if not going to use it stick with android.
Facebook sometimes will report what device your on when you post too.
So if your friends on facebook they will know what you have.

But even if they do, is it such a big deal?
can still turn these features off.