Is there any word on if or when Apple is going to fix the group message "feature" in IOS 12 that adds ALL contact information associated with a given apple ID aside from the one specified in a message? I've read about people having this problem, but the big A seems to be silent on how they are going to prevent messages going to unintended people.
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IOS 12 Group text "feature"
- Thread starter Dr. TANSTAAFL
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I've read when you reply in a group message in IOS 12, all contacts associated with a given Apple ID are included in a message. In other words, if you reply to your friend in a text message and your friend's wife shares your friends Apple ID (even if they have different phone numbers), BOTH your friend AND his wife get the reply, NOT just your friend. Not cool if you're planning a surprise birthday party for your friend's wife.
Sounds like the underlying issue is with sharing Apple IDs. It's sounds kind of like replying to an email from someone that shares their email address and account with someone else.
Apple IDs are not meant to be shared by multiple people. So it's not Apple's problem to fix.
In general, yes, people should have their own Apple ID. They're free...why not? But two points to that:
1. When I had a work phone I used my Apple ID with that to load useful apps. This was allowed by my employer. I saw no need to go through setting up a new Apple ID for the purpose I needed it.
2. I NEVER had an issue with private texts sent to my personal phone appearing on my work phone, OR confidential texts sent to my work phone appearing on my private phone. This issue is apparently something new with IOS 12.
1. When I had a work phone I used my Apple ID with that to load useful apps. This was allowed by my employer. I saw no need to go through setting up a new Apple ID for the purpose I needed it.
2. I NEVER had an issue with private texts sent to my personal phone appearing on my work phone, OR confidential texts sent to my work phone appearing on my private phone. This issue is apparently something new with IOS 12.
There's the account that can be used for App Store and iTunes and then there's one that can be used for more personal things like iMessage and FaceTime.
That aside, it's possible that things weren't working quite correctly before in one way or another, but certainly people sign in using their own Apple ID on multiple devices that they have (like an iPhone and an iPad and maybe a Mac) and usually expect their messages and the like to be there on all of their devices as they use them interchangeably often.
It's your decision if you want to use a personal Apple ID on an employer provided device. What are you worried about? Most employers do not manage iOS devices, and even those that do (like my employer) have limited visibility into the content on a device protected by an AppleID. We use JAMF (and to some degree Microsoft InTune). We can deploy apps to managed iOS devices, and we can see what managed apps are installed on an iOS device. I use a managed device (an iPad) and the JAMF administrator I work quite closely with is not able to see my messages or even the apps installed under my personal AppleID. I can manage InTune policies, but those are mostly limited to controlling how someone using an iOS or Android device (employer owned or personally owned) can access email and other content on their employer provided Office 365 account. About the most we can do with a managed device is to wipe the contents and set it up like new using a different AppleID. We can't access a managed device that is protected by an employee's personal AppleID without completely wiping the device.
Where employers run into issues with people using their personal AppleID's is when an employee uses a company purchasing card to purchase apps under their personal AppleID. Apps purchased by the employer should be purchased under an employer-based Apple ID that is able to provide either redemption codes for an app, or that is linked to a deployment tool like JAMF or Configurator.
I guess my point is that I would not be concerned about your employer being able to read your personal messages, but it's better to have a work specific AppleID if you want to keep personal messages off your work device for other reasons (maybe you share the device with others, or you just like keep your worlds separate)
While this may seem like an issue in iOS 12, it's only an issue for people who are doing something Apple has long recommended against: Sharing AppleID's. We are just seeing the issue crop up because Apple has implemented features and modifications that are more identity based than ever. Android users have the same problems when they share one Google account across multiple phones. My in-laws did this for years and it was so confusing because I never knew which one of them was texting me. Last year I finally helped them transition to individual Google accounts.
How exactly do you propose Apple fix this? Should they ask the sender "Which device do you want to send this to?"
The problem here is these people need to setup their devices correctly. With Family Sharing there is zero reason to share accounts.
Seems like this issue could be fixed by each using their own Apple ID and using family sharing which would work pretty similarly to sharing an Apple ID, if you so choose to enable all of the features. I use this with my family (husband, sister, sister in law, mother, grandmother) and we can all share each others purchases (movies, songs and apps) without getting our lines crossed. It also works great because I subscribe to the Apple Music family plan and the 200GB iCloud storage plan and my family gets to use both without worrying about the charges.
I don't really see the point in sharing an Apple ID these days.
I don't really see the point in sharing an Apple ID these days.
This isn't a 12 issue in that started to see this with 11 when iCloud Messages were turned on.
Not going to go through the gyrations on my stuff, but, can be dealt with with Family Sharing. Or probably some combo of turning off iMessages (just about everyone has unlimited texting these days so iMessages are not that important these days other than secure messaging), turn off iCloud Messages, set receive to be phone number only, ditto start coversations from.
If having issues, lazy re: configuring your devices.
Not going to go through the gyrations on my stuff, but, can be dealt with with Family Sharing. Or probably some combo of turning off iMessages (just about everyone has unlimited texting these days so iMessages are not that important these days other than secure messaging), turn off iCloud Messages, set receive to be phone number only, ditto start coversations from.
If having issues, lazy re: configuring your devices.