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Do you keep iMessage enabled, or turn it off?
- Thread starter TonyTouch
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Actually, iMessage pretty much cuts out the carriers. To them it's encrypted data going over the cell network, and they can't tell if it's an iMessage, or a push notification, or a document being sent to iCloud.
They also claim it remains encrypted on their servers. Whether or not you wish to believe that is up to you.
I would assume not for safety's sake.Personally speaking, if I had something I wanted to hide, I wouldn't be putting it over a cell phone at all. Doesn't matter what your opinion of Apple is, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have all shown willingness to help out the feds and police get whatever they want to know. They don't even need to go to Apple for this.
Always on. No exception. I hope to do away with text messaging plans in a few years. The more people on iMessage the better.
I leave it on, no point in turning it off if you have people who iMessage you and have iPhones. It's not like it wastes battery or anything .
I have mine off. For me, where I work, data connection is not that great so sometimes when I tried to send an iMessage, it would take anywhere from 5-15 mins before it would default and send as SMS. I'm assuming so because of the weak data connection.
If the area where you spend your time has good data connection, I say let iMessage do it's thing!
If the area where you spend your time has good data connection, I say let iMessage do it's thing!
On. I like the delivered/read feedback. And since I'm on a CDMA carrier (Verizon), iMessage doesn't suffer from the 160-character SMS truncation issue.
iMessage is part of the ML operating system.
It is called Messages and you can set it up to receive texts based on your apple id.
It is probably my most favorite feature now.
Always on. Other than a few people, just about everyone I text regularly has an iPhone.
- It's usually way faster and reliable than a regular SMS
- Can send high quality files and videos
- Carriers can't even see that you're sending a text message
- My text message count went from around 4000 per month to around 500 per month after I switched back to the iPhone from Android (not a big deal since they're unlimited anyway, just something I noticed).
- Delivery receipts are nice. Read receipts too for the few people who turn them on
- If the iMessage fails for some reason the message still goes through as a regular SMS so I see no reason to turn it off.
- It's usually way faster and reliable than a regular SMS
- Can send high quality files and videos
- Carriers can't even see that you're sending a text message
- My text message count went from around 4000 per month to around 500 per month after I switched back to the iPhone from Android (not a big deal since they're unlimited anyway, just something I noticed).
- Delivery receipts are nice. Read receipts too for the few people who turn them on
- If the iMessage fails for some reason the message still goes through as a regular SMS so I see no reason to turn it off.
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When I upgraded to iOS 6 on my iP4 I had to turn it back on in Settings (and I think I had to enter my Apple password again).[/QUOTE]
i have reset the device, played with time, the iMessage toggle remains gray and under it is reads "Activation Unsuccessful. Turn on iMessage to try again."
When I upgraded to iOS 6 on my iP4 I had to turn it back on in Settings (and I think I had to enter my Apple password again).[/QUOTE]
i have reset the device, played with time, the iMessage toggle remains gray and under it is reads "Activation Unsuccessful. Turn on iMessage to try again."
I'm almost certain that Daveoc64 is trolling this thread... I just dont see how he could be serious.
With that said, I use iMessage and leave it on all the time. I get really crappy cell signal at my school and at my apartment. I rely on iMessage to text my contacts (about 80% of them have iMessage), I have a hard time communicating with my Android buddies... WhatsApp is a hassle too since it isn't built into their phone's OS, they have to pay for the app, as do I, and its completely separate from my messaging app.
With that said, I use iMessage and leave it on all the time. I get really crappy cell signal at my school and at my apartment. I rely on iMessage to text my contacts (about 80% of them have iMessage), I have a hard time communicating with my Android buddies... WhatsApp is a hassle too since it isn't built into their phone's OS, they have to pay for the app, as do I, and its completely separate from my messaging app.
What makes you say that?
SMS as a technology is incredibly simple - that simplicity has limitations, but it makes it incredibly reliable.
iMessage depends on several different pieces of technology functioning - a chain of technology.
As we've seen today, if any part of that chain breaks down, the whole system fails - iMessage is down right now.
SMS is more robust in that there are fewer opportunities for things to go wrong.
For me, that inherent reliability far outweighs the benefits that iMessage offers.
Not questioning your personal experience. However, in my experience, iMessage doesn't add any complexity to texting. The back end processing may be more complex. But, the end user experience is not. Stated another way, in my experience, iMessage is transparent. Therefore, ther is no benefit, to me, of turning it off. Therefore, I leave it on.
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Isn't tcp/ip layer 2 of the OSI 7 layers? Layer 1 is the physical wire. Layer 2 is not complex. Correct me if I am wrong. What layer does SMS belong to?
I used to leave it off when I was on a 4S with AT&T. My workplace just didn't have great 3g reception, so I would always type a text, hit send, lock the phone, only to unlock it an hour or two later to see the red exclamation point indicating not sent because the data connection timed out. Text messages in contrast, always sent much faster.
I do leave it always on now that I'm on VZW with LTE. Reception is much better and iMessage hasn't had the same issues.
I do leave it always on now that I'm on VZW with LTE. Reception is much better and iMessage hasn't had the same issues.
No they don't, there are a number of plans that do, but there are at least as many that don't. If anything unlimited SMS plans would be a minority as most PAYG plans don't.
There are plenty of people on older hand me down iPhones that have small or no SMS plans.
Yes, it is, there are literally thousands of people who buy iPhones either second hand or on PAYG, it is entirely possible to buy an iphone without a high/unlimited SMS allowance.
While it is your choice to leave it off, it isn't really as simple as you think. I suppose you are just fortunate in only having rich friends and family who avoid PAYG and some of the cheaper plans with minimal texts.
You also completely miss the point of sending and receiving internationally, it would be costing the sender to send to a phone on a different country's networks. It would be free on iMessage.
Logic says, no matter your personal preference, leaving iMessage on is the better option for most.
It doesn't belong to any layer.
TCP/IP is far more complex than SMS is.
It's not just about the layer in the network stack, it's about the fact that it needs one in the first place!
For iMessage, you're relying on:
Your data connection to the carrier/ISP working correctly
Your ISP's connection to Apple working correctly
Apple's servers working correctly
The recipient's ISP connection to Apple working correctly
The recipient's connection to their ISP/carrier working correctly.
SMS doesn't run over a the cellular data network, so it doesn't need to worry about this.
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Let me put it this way - my "poor friends" as you'd like to categorise them, can't afford an iPhone.
The only way they could get one is on a heavily subsidised contract which has texts included.
Those that don't have an iPhone, obviously can't use iMessage, therefore it's a moot point.
Perhaps. How many of them do I know? Absolutely 0. Everyone I know got their iPhone or other device on a contract.
No, you're completely missing the point.
I didn't ever discount that as a benefit, but I have not sent an international message for about 4 years now - and I don't have a desire or need to do so.
I made it abundantly clear that iMessage has a wide range of benefits:
- Able to send/receive messages over Wi-Fi if a cellular network is unavailable
- Able to send messages ANYWHERE for free
- Able to send pictures and videos in high quality
- Read receipts
- Ability to have messages on multiple iOS devices
But I also made it very clear that none of those are of benefit to me.
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No iPads or iPod Touch either?
However I did make the point I wasn't referring to your personal preference though.
The people I know with those devices don't like to use iMessage because they have either a dumbphone or an Android phone.
They'd rather I send them an SMS, because they're more likely to get it.