iMessage question/issue

[Ke1ington]

A friend just got his first iPhone and I did a quick tour to get him set up. His iMessage is switched on, as is mine, and the messages I receive from him are coming through as iMessage but anything I send him is sent as SMS.

Everybody else I use iMessage with is coming through as they should - iMessage both ways. See attached photo.

 

[Stuke00]

I think iMessage can take 24 hours to fully activate on Apples servers. Just give it time.

 

[Coupz]

Settings - messages - send & receive - look if his phone number is there with a check mark.
You can also choose to start new conversation from his phone number from there.

 

[TheKrs1]

Also check his contact info on the messages being received as iMessages from him. I bet he can send via his AppleID E-mail, but hasn't registered the phone number yet.

 

[GreyOS]

Also check his contact info on the messages being received as iMessages from him. I bet he can send via his AppleID E-mail, but hasn't registered the phone number yet.

But they would be in different conversation threads, wouldn't they? I don't think you can send from a number/email that you can't receive from too. If OP is receiving iMessages in that thread, is always sending as Message in that thread, but can send iMessages to other people, there's definitely something weird going on.